Sweet Dog
When I was growing up in Sweden, we ate a dessert called semla on Shrove Tuesday. It was a cardamom sweet roll filled with cooked almonds, and I loved it. Here’s my version—a brioche bun filled with almond paste and lots of whipped cream and drizzled with red velvet sauce.You can buy the buns, so this dessert is quick work. The homemade almond paste won’t be as smooth as the stuff from the store, but boy, is it good.
Sweet Dog
PREP DETAILS
Servings: 4
Total time: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE ALMOND PASTE:
1½ cups blanched sliced almonds
1½ cups confectioners’ sugar
1 large egg white
1½ teaspoons almond extract
½ teaspoon powdered ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
FOR THE RED VELVET SAUCE:
2 tablespoons buttermilk
½ cup white chocolate chips
1½ teaspoons cocoa powder
1 tablespoon red food coloring
FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM:
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
FOR SERVING:
4 brioche buns
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
DIRECTIONS
FOR THE ALMOND PASTE:
Put the almonds and confectioners’ sugar in a food processor and process until chopped very fine. Add the egg white, extract, ginger, cardamom, and salt and process until smooth. Scrape into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
FOR THE RED VELVET SAUCE:
Warm the buttermilk in a small saucepan over low heat. Add half the chocolate chips and stir until melted. Add the remaining chips and stir until melted. Turn off the heat, add the cocoa powder and food coloring, and whisk until smooth. Serve warm.
FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM:
Beat the cream and sugar with an electric mixer until stiff. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip if you have one.
TO SERVE:
Slice off the top third of each brioche bun and pull out the center of the bottom. Fill each bun with ¼ cup of the almond paste. Pipe or spoon on a generous mound of whipped cream, covering the almond paste. Put the lids back on, drizzle with the red velvet sauce, and dust with confectioners’ sugar.