9 Pre-Lenten Treats from Around the World...

In Sweden, semla is the traditional treat for fettisdag. Semla is a sweet bun laced with cardamon and filled with almond paste and cream, an unbelievably sweet treat eaten with plenty of coffee to wash it down. In Sweden, bakeries compete fiercely to offer the best semla of the season. The semla of the Middle Ages was a rather plain bun eaten up before Lent, but with the Protestant Reformation, Swedes began eating it during Lent as part of the protest. When the fillings were added, it became so rich that it gradually moved back to being a pre-Lenten treat. Similar sweets are offered in other Scandinavian countries by other names, with slight variations in the recipes. In Finland, buns are sometimes filled with raspberry jam. In Denmark, the buns have whipped cream and jam inside. Other versions include raisins or orange peel. Photograph by Flickr user Johan Dalenius.
2. Malasada

Click to expand...