In Denmark we have a long tradition af celebrating ‘Fastelavn’ – also called ‘Carnevale’ in other countries. Traditionally it was a big feast before 40 days of fasting leading up to easter. Strictly speaking, Fastelavn was abolished after the reformation in 1536 when the Danes changed Catholicism out with Protestantism. But it turned out that it was only the fasting itself, the Danes were willing to shelve. The festive days of entertainment, dressing up and eating Fastelavnsboller hung on. – Way to go!

Fastelavnsboller (‘shrovetide bun’) has come a long way since the middle ages and you can find them in many forms, but here are my favorite – the old fashioned kind with marzipan inside. Bon appetite!

Recipe

You will need:

Dough:
375 g  butter
25 g sugar
500 g wheat flour
130 g buttermilk
2 eggs
50 g yeast
15 g cardamom

Marzipan filling:
125 g butter
125 g sugar
125 g marzipan

Glaze:
350 g icing sugar
20 g cocoa powder
0,5 dl water

Topping:
Eatable gold powder
chopped pistachios

TIP!

You can also decorate the buns with chopped hazelnuts, freeze-dried raspberries, sprinkles, etc. The sky’s the limit!
How to:

Dough:
1. When making the dough mix milk, yeast and suger until dissolved. Put in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
2. Butter, eggs, cardamom and wheat flour are mixed in and knead for 5 minutes in the mixer with a dough hook.

Marzipan filling:
3. Knead sugar together with the marzipan.
4. Ad butter and make it to a total mass. This you can do either with your hands og in the mixer with a spatula.

Making the buns:
5. When the dough and marzipan filling is ready, roll out the dough to a square of 50×50 centimeters. Then cut the dough into squares of 10×10 centimeters.
6.  
Spread the filling evenly between all squares and place in the middle of each square.
7. 
Close the ends together toward the center and put the buns on the oven plate with assembly downwardly.
8. Let the
 buns rise for approximately 1 hour.
9. 
After rising, brush them with egg.
10. Bake the buns for about 8-10 minutes at 220 degrees celcious.
11. 
After baking they must cool, and you have time to make the glaze.
12. Mix water, cocoa powder and icing suger and stir the glaze smooth.
13. Then decorate with the glaze, gold powder and chopped pistachios.