Baking Expressions
Jäsa, knåda, kanelbullens dag — the Swedish baking calendar in phrases.
The kanelbulle masterclass, in recipe order: yeast lore (fingervärme or death), the two provings, rolling, filling, twisting, the oven vigil from minute six, cooling-rack law — and the cultural layer: Kanelbullens dag, semla season, and why hemmabakat is a different thing entirely. Follow the order and you can actually bake from this deck.
- 1
baka
to bake
Tip: lit. the same.
- 2
färsk jäst
fresh yeast
Tip: lit. the same — sold in blue 50-gram blocks.
- 3
torrjäst istället
dry yeast instead
Tip: lit. the same — easier to keep.
- 4
en surdegsgrund
a sourdough starter
Tip: lit. 'a sourdough base' — with a name and a personality.
- 5
värma mjölken till fingervärme
to warm the milk to finger temperature
Tip: lit. the same — 37 degrees, roughly.
- 6
för varmt och jästen dör
too hot and the yeast dies
Tip: lit. the same.
- 7
jästen var för gammal
the yeast was old
Tip: lit. the same — always the yeast's fault.
- 8
knåda degen
to knead the dough
Tip: lit. the same.
- 9
låta den jäsa
to let it rise
Tip: lit. the same.
- 10
jäsa till dubbel storlek
to rise to double the size
Tip: lit. the same.
- 11
låta jäsa på varm plats
to prove in a warm place
Tip: lit. the same.
- 12
under en handduk
under a tea towel
Tip: lit. the same.
- 13
degen jäste inte
the dough didn't rise
Tip: lit. the same.
- 14
knåda ner degen
to knock back the dough
Tip: lit. the same.
- 15
jäsning nummer två
the second proving
Tip: lit. the same — after shaping.
- 16
kavla ut degen
to roll out the dough
Tip: lit. the same.
- 17
bre ut fyllningen
to spread the filling
Tip: lit. the same.
- 18
smör, socker och kanel
butter, sugar and cinnamon
Tip: lit. the same — the holy trinity.
- 19
rulla ihop hårt
to roll it up tightly
Tip: lit. the same.
- 20
skära i skivor
to cut into slices
Tip: lit. the same.
- 21
eller snurra till knutar
or to twist into knots
Tip: lit. the same — the fancier way.
- 22
snurra bullarna
to twist the buns
Tip: lit. 'spin the buns' — into knots.
- 23
bullformar
paper cases
Tip: lit. the same.
- 24
pensla med ägg
to brush with egg
Tip: lit. the same.
- 25
pärlsocker på toppen
pearl sugar on top
Tip: lit. the same.
- 26
en plåt
a baking tray
Tip: lit. 'a sheet'.
- 27
bakplåtspapper
baking paper
Tip: lit. 'baking-sheet paper'.
- 28
ugnen på tvåhundratjugofem grader
the oven at 225 degrees
Tip: lit. the same — Celsius, always.
- 29
mitten av ugnen
the middle shelf of the oven
Tip: lit. the same.
- 30
åtta minuter borde räcka
eight minutes should do it
Tip: lit. the same.
- 31
hålla koll från sjätte minuten
to watch them from minute six
Tip: lit. the same.
- 32
bränna botten
to burn the bottom
Tip: lit. the same.
- 33
de är lite bleka
they're a bit pale
Tip: lit. the same.
- 34
doften fyller hela huset
the smell fills the whole house
Tip: lit. the same.
- 35
nygräddad
straight from the oven
Tip: lit. 'freshly baked'.
- 36
svalna på galler
to cool on a rack
Tip: lit. the same.
- 37
aldrig kvar på plåten
never on the tray
Tip: lit. the same — they go soggy.
- 38
en bulle direkt ur ugnen
a bun straight from the oven
Tip: lit. the same.
- 39
inget annat är i närheten
nothing else comes close
Tip: lit. the same.
- 40
ta en för mycket
to eat one too many
Tip: lit. 'take one too many'.
- 41
frysa in hälften
to freeze half of them
Tip: lit. the same — and eat them within a week anyway.
- 42
kanelbullar
cinnamon buns
Tip: lit. the same.
- 43
kardemummabullar
cardamom buns
Tip: lit. the same — the connoisseur's choice.
- 44
kanelbullens dag
Cinnamon Bun Day
Tip: lit. the same — 4 October, and yes it's real.
- 45
en semla
a Lent bun
Tip: lit. the same — cream and almond paste, eaten from January to Easter.
- 46
fettisdagen
Shrove Tuesday
Tip: lit. 'fat Tuesday' — the official semla day, widely ignored as a limit.
- 47
hemmabakat är en helt annan sak
home-baked is a different thing entirely
Tip: lit. the same.