Lychee & Hibiscus Semlor

Sweet, Swedish-style brioche buns stuffed with lychee jam filling and hibiscus-infused whipped cream.

A “semla” (plural: “semlor”) is a Swedish dessert bun typically served on or around Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Christian Lenten period. These sweet buns are traditionally flavored with cardamom, filled with almond frangipane, and topped with a mountain of sweetened whipped cream. I was fortunate enough to try a proper semla in Sweden earlier this year and knew I must make a rendition of my own eventually.

While the cardamom/almond combination is not the flavor profile I have made today, and I can’t really call these proper semlor, I expanded upon the aesthetics and construction to make something a bit more appropriate for the heat of June. These semlor are a vanilla bean flavored brioche bun, full of lychee jam, and hibiscus-infused whipped cream.

The bun is a simple, yeast-based dough that only requires a single proofing period. I’ve made these using my stand mixer and dough hook attachment but kneading by hand will yield a lovely result as well. The filling is a very basic jam of fruit, acid, sugar, and salt. I’ve opted to blend the lychee after the cooking period for a smoother finished product, but this is entirely optional. If you do not like or do not have access to hibiscus, you can opt for a standard chantilly. The hibiscus does add a beautiful floral note that complements the lychee well, in addition to a very faint pink/purple tinge that I find very fitting for this time of year.

I’ve served these semlor in the traditional style: a tall piping of whipped cream with the small sliced off piece of the bun placed atop before a generous dusting of powdered sugar. I recommend enjoying these immediately upon assembling, with a cup of tea or coffee. Happy baking!

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