Milda Doumit, who runs Lindquists Konditori in Stockholm with her husband, Bassel, said: “The semla has evolved from a traditional Swedish bun to a modern pastry that is constantly being renewed and adapted to today’s tastes and demands.”.
The current form of the semla dates back to the 1930s, but in recent years – thanks in part to social media – each spring brings new takes on the classic recipe.
At Noma, the three Michelin star restaurant in Copenhagen, head pastry chef Francisco Migoya was surprised to find people were already queueing when he arrived for work before 7am last weekend for their one-off fastelavnsbolle day.
Other popular contemporary takes on the semla include Oreo, red velvet, chia, matcha and princess cake (a classic Swedish green icing-covered sponge cake).
The earliest version of the Swedish semla was a 16th-century plain bread bun served in a soup of warm milk eaten only on Shrove Tuesday in preparation for the 40-day fast of Lent.
