Saffron Buns

A tradition in our families from England and Sweden. Saffron is expensive to buy, so I don't make these but once or twice a year.

• Ready In: 5 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 36-48
• Yields: 4-5 doz. buns

Ingredients

• 1 3⁄4 cups boiling water
• 1  tablespoon saffron thread
• 2 1⁄4 teaspoons  yeast
• 2  teaspoons sugar
• 1⁄2 cup warm water
• 1 1⁄4 cups sugar
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  cup  lard
• 2  eggs
• 6 1⁄2 cups flour
• 1  teaspoon  lemon extract
• 10  ounces currants
• 8  ounces citron

Directions

1. Heat the water in a glass 2 Cup measuring cup in the microwave for 2 minutes. Put saffron into the boiling water and let steep for at least 15 minutes.
2. Dissolve yeast, sugar and warm water in the bottom of your KA mixer bowl or large bowl. Let it activate for 10 minutes.
3. In the mixer bowl with the yeast mixture, add the sugar, salt, lard, eggs, flour, and lemon extract. Mix slowly to incorporate.
4. Remove your mixer bowl from the mixer. Add the steeped saffron. Put it back on the mixer and slowly incorporate the saffron mixture.
5. Last, add the currents and citron and mix thoroughly.
6. Let rise approximately 1-2 hours.
7. Drop by heaping T. on Air Bake pans. Put no more than 12 on a sheet. Continue dropping buns on additional sheets. Let rise in a warm place until doubled.(1-2 hours).
8. While buns are raising, preheat oven to 350 deg.
9. Bake each sheet pan separately, they bake to a light golden brown. My oven seems to burn if I have more than one sheet in at a time.
10. Bake appr. 15 minutes, remove from the oven and put next sheet into the oven. When they are cool, store in Ziploc freezer bags. What you don't eat the first few days, the rest should last through the holidays. Enjoy!