Swedish cardamom buns

Step 1/4

• 6 g fresh yeast
• 50 ml whole milk (lukewarm)
• 80 g flour
• ¼ tbsp sugar
• 15 g unsalted butter
• ⅛ tsp ground cardamom (for sprinkling)

• 2 bowls (large)
• whisk
• hand mixer with dough hook
• kitchen towel

Whisk together the fresh yeast and lukewarm milk in a bowl. Add the flour, sugar, salt, some of the butter, and some of the ground cardamom and beat together using a hand mixer fitted with dough hooks. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for approx. 30 min.

Step 2/4

• 15 g unsalted butter
• 12 g brown sugar
• ¼ tsp ground cardamom

• oven
• rolling pin
• rubber spatula
• knife

Preheat oven to 200°C/390°F. For the filling, mix remaining butter with brown sugar and remaining ground cardamom until well combined. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle and spread evenly with the filling, leaving space around the edges. Fold half of the dough into the middle, followed by the lower half to form a rectangle, trimming the ends if they are too round. Dust the dough with flour and roll out again to flatten it. Using a knife or a pizza wheel cut out strips of dough lengthwise, approx. 2-cm/1-in in width.

Step 3/4

• parchment paper
• baking sheet

To form a bun, twirl a dough strip into a twist. Wrap the dough twist around your index finger and middle finger in a figure eight. Once you have a third of the length left, wrap around the middle in the opposite direction to form a band and thread the end through the center from above, as if tying a knot, and tuck in. Gently press the bun together and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat until dough is used up and bake in preheated oven at 200°C/390°F, for approx. 20 min. The tops of the buns should be lightly browned but not crunchy.

Step 4/4

• ⅛ tsp cardamom pod
• 12 g brown sugar
• ⅛ tsp vanilla extract
• 12 ml water
• brown sugar (for sprinkling)
• ground cardamom (for sprinkling)

• mortar and pestle
• saucepan
• whisk
• pastry brush

To make the syrup, grind cardamom pods in a mortar and pestle. Heat sugar, vanilla extract, ground cardamom pods, and water in a saucepan over medium-low heat until dissolved. As soon as the buns are out of the oven, brush with syrup. Dust with extra cane sugar and ground cardamom, if desired. Enjoy!

Enjoy your meal!