MY FAVORITE SWEDISH PAIR

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I lived two years in Sweden and I can honestly say that except for one savory and one sweet dish, Swedish cuisine didn't make a great impact on me.
Swedish scalloped potatoes and Bullar are those two dishes, one savory and one sweet.
Sweetness of the onions, creaminess of the cream, and starchiness of the potatoes is a perfect flavor combination for me, that is why I felt in love with Swedish scalloped potatoes at the first sight of the dish. Although I regularly bake bullar as everybody in our family enjoys them, I didn't bake the scalloped potatoes in a long long time as the male part of my family is not so fond of cream or milk joining in to a savory dishes.


SWEDISH SCALLOPED POTATOES (6-8 persons)

The best time I ate this dish wasn't even in Sweden, it was in Jordan, in the summer of 1998. Potatoes were served with thinly sliced smoked salmon.


Ingredients:
3 tbsp butter, soft
6 russet potatoes, peeled, sliced thin on mandolin
2 large onions, sliced thin into thin rings
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9x13 inch  casserole dish with 1 1/2 tbsp of butter. 

Layer the bottom of the casserole dish with 1/3 of the potato slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Layer on 1/2 of the onion rings. Repeat by layering on 1/3 of the potato slices, sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Layer on the remaining sliced onions. Top the casserole with the remaining potato slices.

Pour over the milk and heavy cream mixture. Spoon the remaining 1 1/2 tbsp of butter equaly over the top.

Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for one hour. After one hour, remove from the oven, remove the foil and return to the oven for an additional 30-40 minutes. When done, the potatoes will be tender and the milk mix should be mostly absorbed.


BULLAR (22 pieces)

Bullar are similar to cinnamon rolls, but memories of my time spend in Sweden are making them special and unique for me.

Ingredients for filling:
7 tbsp butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
Stir together all the ingredients to creamy spreading. Cover with plastic foil and set aside.

Ingredients for dough:
16 tbsp margarine or butter
2 1/4 cups milk
3 tsp dry yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cardamom
6 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

Sprinkle:
2 tbsp pearl sugar

Directions:
Melt butter. Add milk and warm until lukewarm, pour into a bowl, add sugar, salt, cardamom, yeast, and flour. Knead until it comes together and then some more.

Cover and let rise to double size.

Knead the dough again and divide it in two equal dough balls. Roll each part on a slightly floured breadboard into rectangles (5 mm thick). Spread the filling evenly over the dough. Roll together, Swiss roll style, and cut each part into 11 even pieces. Place cut pieces into cupcake forms, let them rest until they become double in size. Brush with egg wash and bake for 8 - 10 minutes at 375*F in a pre-heated oven.

This recipe is a courtesy of book "Sju sorters kakor: by ICA bokforlag."