Oh yum! Semla is our SWOW, Swedish Word of the Week, and it is a delicious one!
Semla=Sweet bun
A Semla is a sweet bun spiced with cardamom that has been divided in half and filled with a dollop of marsipan (almond paste) and then filled to the brim with fresh whipped cream. Usually powdered sugar is sprinkled on top. It can also be served in a small pool of warm milk. So so good.
This is traditionally not served all year long. The semla was originally eaten only on Shrove Tuesday, as the last festive food before Lent. However, with the arrival of the Protestant Reformation, the Swedes stopped observing a strict fasting for Lent. The semla in its bowl of warm milk became a traditional dessert every Tuesday between Shrove Tuesday and Easter. Today, semlor are available in shops and bakeries every day from shortly after Christmas until Easter.
English