Kløben Christmas buns – Kløben Christmas rolls
It is the 1. of December and the month of Christmas has started!
I’ve been looking forward to – and stressed out a little – about the goals that I have set for myself.
So much to do!
This recipe is an old Danish Classic.
The Kløben Christmas buns are filled with butter and dried fruits – like the buns we make for Shrovetide and Easter.
I don’t know what the word “Kløben” means, but I believe it is a German word.
We have a lot of German words in the Danish language…
Dried fruit
I start Christmas with a classic in my family – Kløben Christmas buns or Kløben Christmas rolls!
The delicious, fatty, sweet Christmas bun filled with butter and dried fruit – what’s not to like?
I am one of those people who are glad that succade is not entirely extinct.
I want succade in my Christmas buns and candied orange peel – in return, I do not need the extra sweet multi-coloured cocktail cherries many Danes like so much.
I added goji berries and dried apples instead.
– but if you like cocktail cherries, then, by all means, add them.
You do not need to use white wheat flour.
You can bake Kløben buns with ordinary wheat flour.
I do not think they are THAT much healthier wholemeal.
I bake these Christmas buns a few times in December.
Usually, the first Sunday of Advent and when my parents visit in December, they also enjoy the Christmas classic Kløben buns.
Which holiday classic is your favourite?
Any Danish classics?
Kløben Christmas buns - Kløben Christmas rolls
Ingredients
Wet
- 75 g salted butter
- 2.5 dl milk
- 25 g fresh yeast
- 1 egg
Dry
- 150 g whole wheat flour - white
- 250 g regular wheat flour
- 60 g sugar
- ½ tsp coarse salt
- 175 g dried fruit see "Dried fruit I use"
Dried fruit I use*
- 50 g raisins
- 30 g finely chopped succade
- 30 g finely chopped candied orange peel
- 25 g goji berries
- 25 g sweet dried cranberries
- 15 g dried apple cubes
Extra
- butter - melted
- powdered sugar
Instructions
- Melt the butter and add the milk. Pour both into a bowl and stir in the crumbled fresh yeast. Stir until incorporated.
- Add the egg and mix again.
- Mix the sugar, salt and wheat flour with the dried fruit.
- Mix the dry with the wet. The dough will be pretty soft.
- Cover the bowl with a lid. Put the dough to rise at room temperature for at least 45 minutes.
- You are ready to make the kløben buns when the dough has risen.Dip a large spoon in water, and take a spoonful of the dough. Place the dough on a baking sheet with baking paper, spacing the buns out, giving them room to rise. Repeat until you have used all your dough.
- Brush the Kløben buns with melted butter. Then bake them in the middle of the oven for 18-20 minutes at 175°C fan oven or 200°C/400°F conventional oven.
- Let the buns cool slightly on a wire rack.
- Serve the Kløben buns with salted butter.
Notes
If you use US Customary, remember that the recipe is made using Metric and converted via a plugin.
Private notes
Before I bought a plugin that could change from Metric to US Customary, I did a little Googling, and I tried to convert the grams to US cups:
- 75g salted butter = 5.29 tbsp or 0.33 cups
- 2.5 dl milk = 1 cup
- 25g fresh yeast = 1 tbsp of instant dry yeast
- 400g all-purpose flour = 2½ cups
- 60g sugar = 4.80 tbsp or 0.30 cups
- ½ tsp coarse salt
- 175g dried fruit = 1-1¼ cups
As you can see, the plugin and my Googling do not produce the same result, so I recommend buying a kitchen scale.
In the recipe you go straight from proving the dough to having a wet spoon & then putting them in the oven, how do you handle the dough?
Sorry, Claire,
It is one of my old recipes.
I’ve rewritten the recipe so it is a bit more detailed and precise – if not, please write again.
I wish that your recipes could translate to American measurements also – cups, teaspoons, etc.
Hi Laurie
My plugin doesn’t do measurement translation. 🙁
Thanks for reminding me that I have to include cups, tsp… and Fahrenheit.
I’ve translated the measurements – you’ll find them after the recipe notes.
Happy baking
Christel
These look exactly like what my grandmother, who was from Lolland, made all the time and called Fastelavns Boller. When I look up Fastelavns Boller on the internet, I get something entirely different. I really appreciate being able to find this recipe. Thanks so much.
I’m SO glad that you found the recipe you looked for!
I think that it is nice that you know the buns from your Danish grandmother 😀
Yes, in Denmark fastelavnsboller are different from these kløbenbuns.
Danish fastelavnsboller is either a classic white bun with pastry cream in the middle or a Danish filled with pastry cream and/or jam. You top both buns with icing.
I do understand why she called them fastelavnsboller, because these wheat buns are full of flavour, fat and dried fruit – perfect for Shrove Tuesday before Lent.
These kløbenbuns are so good you can eat them all year – try them for your birthday.
I hope you’ll like the result – and I would love to see photos.
😀 Christel
Hey! Do you use Twitter? I’d like to follow you if that would be ok.
I’m undoubtedly enjoying your blog and look forward to new updates.
Thanks ig.
Yes you can find my posts and recipes on twitter @ DanishThings.
🙂 Christel