There are few things as Swedish as the Swedish Semla pastry. Even though I know that it's probably not based on any true facts, I like the pretty ridiculous  and so called origin story of the Semla pastry. A Swedish king who loved to eat, especially pastries, wanted something new to add to his dessert menu. So he sent out a notice to everyone around the country and created a competition. The man who created the most delicious dessert, would get to marry his daughter, the beautiful Swedish princess. A poor soldier who was desperately in love with the princess, decided to give it a shot. He combined all of his favourite things and turned it into a very simple pastry: A sweet wheat cardamon bun, whipped cream, sweet almond paste and caster sugar. That is how the Semla was born. The King went mad for the pastry and ate so many that it started to effect his health. After a trip to the doctor who said that he was only to eat the Semla pastry on special occasions, the King declared that the Semla would have its own day and was only to be eaten once a year. That is how the day called Fettistagen was born. Nowadays Swedish people eat the Semla pastry not just one day, but only during that time of year which is in February when Cafes and pastry shops around Sweden start making the pastry for the season.