For all those pastry lovers who are adventurous enough to stand, drawning up in the chill of a harsh NYC winter before the clock marks 6 am, at the door of one of the most creative bakeries in downtown Manhattan, the name of Dominique Ansel, sounds like sweet melody in their ears. There is a reason for this pastry madness and commotional human behavior. Pastry Chef Dominique Ansel’s marriage between a buttery traditional French croissant with a funky American fried doughnut named “The Cronut”.

This laminated, glazed, fried in grape seed oil croissant-doughnut injected with the filling of the month, like caramelized apple and Tahitian vanilla cream, born on May 10, 2013 with US Patent has broken the rules of traditional pastry making and has spread rapidly across the national and international borders.

For his creator and pastry master, Dominique Ansel, “the cronut”, is just one manifestation of his love for pastry, joy for the scientific rigor of the craft, and years of expertise in the matter. Born and raise in Beauvais, France, started working his way up in Fauchon, the Fabergé of sweets on the Place de la Madeleine in Paris, and then in the United States, for six successful years as the Pastry Chef in the acclaimed restaurant Daniel from Daniel Boulud.

 Though he may be the most inventive pastry chef going in New York City and beyond, his early beginning are as humble as his present attitude. With only 16 years old- Chef Ansel started washing dishes and swept floors at a family restaurant. With no money to afford culinary training, he decided to enlist to the military where he managed to get a job in the kitchen. After saving enough money to move to the City of Lights, Paris, his tenacity and hard work paid him the ticket to work his way up to a permanent job at Fauchon. Moving up in the company to the point of opening new shops abroad and training young bakers. Eager to explore new culinary possibilities, back in 2006, he landed in the City that never sleeps, to take over the top pastry job at Daniel. Ambitious enough to spread his wings and unleash his creative mind in the pastry business, Chef Ansel, open his own casual pastry shop and center of operations in Soho, NYC back in 2011. The idea has been simple from the start: traditional creations like macarons, cannelés de Bordeaux and his own version of the Breton pastry kouign amann.

As creativity started being unleashed, chef Ansel began to think up to the point that many creations inspired by American flavors were born, like: “the Frozen S’more”. A vanilla-flavored core of frozen custard in a chocolate feuilletine wafer under a layer of marshmallow stabbed with an applewood-smoked willow brach and torched to order.

 And if you are hungry for more and happens to be in the city this spring, the latest wild creation of Chef Ansel for this season has arrived and caused big commotion as usual. “The waffogato”, an innovative twist on the Italian affogato, in which strong hot espresso is poured over a scoop of vanilla ice cream. In Chef Ansel’s new confection and version of the affogato, he manages to convert the affogato into a breakfast treat, as the vanilla ice cream takes the shape of a waffle enhanced with Belgium waffle bits, and the maple syrup-scented espresso is poured over. Another crazy idea that sets the existence of no boundaries in the pastry world.

The magic of food is that it can take us to discover the deepest secrets that relies between a meal, an ingredient, an aroma, to the history and culture of the country is originated.

During this past Christmas, my friends and I decided to cook traditional food from our countries, that reminds us to this particular Holiday season. That is how I got to learn how to make Lussekatt, by the hand of my friend Elin. These wonderful and tasty spiced yeast-leavened sweet saffron buns,  with a delicate touch of nutmeg and raisins, are a party in your mouth!

The buns are baked into many traditional shapes, of which the simplest is a reversed S-shape. In Sweden they are traditionally eaten during Advent and especially on Saint Lucy’s day on December 13. But I am a believer that once you tried one of this sweet treats, you will want to eat them all year round!

To prove I am a good girl (in case Santa is still around and wants to bring more presents…) I decided to share this traditional recipe with you all.

Enjoy them and include them in your own Holiday tradition!

Lussekatt Ingredients:

150 grams melted butter

1 gram saffron

18 oz milk

50 grams fresh yeast

250 grams Quark

1-1/2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp cardamom

1 tsp salt

1 whole egg

3 cups All purpose flour

1 cup raisins

Lussekatt procedure:

In a big bowl combine the melted butter, slightly heated milk and yeast, and mix well. Add saffron previously grounded with a mortar and pestle, sugar, salt, cardamom, one egg and raisins.Mix well to combine and gradually add the sifted flour

Combine until a dough that pulls out of the bowl forms. Be careful to not overwork the dough. Cover the dough inside the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and or plastic film and let it proof in a warm environment (like on top of your stove) for 1 hour or until double in size

Once it proofed, work the dough on a clean floured table. Cut it in quarters and start shaping little logs of dough that will be shaped in a reverse S-shape

once you shape your lussekatt, placed them in a buttered baking pan, cover with kitchen towel and or plastic film, and let them proof once more time, about 40 minutes to an hour

Once proofed, egg wash your pastries and bake them in a preheated oven at 400 F for 5 to 8 minutes or until nice color

let them cool and enjoy them with milk and good company!

You will enjoy every bite of these sweet pastries… I guarantee it!