Instructions: Makes 20 to 24 buns.

Toasting the saffron threads before steeping them in hot milk gives the bread its intense flavor and rich color.

*Place the saffron in a dry, heavy skillet and toast over medium-high heat for several seconds, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the threads become slightly darker.

Scald the milk in a small pan by bringing it just to a boil and removing it from the heat; then set it aside, add the saffron threads, and allow to cool to lukewarm. Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water. In a large bowl, combine the milk, yeast, butter, egg, salt, and 3 cups of the flour. Beat the mixture until smooth. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead it until smooth. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and allow to rise until double in bulk, about 1 hour.

Punch the dough down and divide it into 24 parts. To make Lucia Buns, lightly form each piece into a rope; place one rope on top of another to form an X. Place a raisin at the end of each X. Put the buns on a greased cookie sheet. Brush the tops with melted butter and allow them to rise until doubled.

Brush the egg-and-water mixture lightly over the buns. Sprinkle the buns with the sugar and bake them in a preheated 350 F oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on wire racks.

NOTES : The Swedish name Lussekatter means "Lucias cats," from the pagan belief that Lucias light helped send off the evil spirits who, disguised as cats, lurked in dark corners on bleak winter nights. The stylized shape of these open-cross buns is thought to ward off the devil. The dough is also shaped into a braid made to hold candles and used as a centerpiece on the Saint Lucia Day table.

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