cardamom buns

Cardamom buns

I first learned about these delicious Swedish buns in ‘the nordic baking book’ by Magnus Nilsson.  The book has conflicting instructions about how to shape them, but I went with the “twist method” because I love the way it looks. (It seems the more common way is to wrap the strands of dough like a ball of yarn) 

The beautiful and mysterious aroma of cardamom somehow makes the butter in the filling even more buttery, and the sugar oozing from the strips of dough caramelizes, creating crunchy and sticky textures. I used a potato roll recipe for this, because it creates a particularly tender roll that stays soft for days. If you don’t have golden syrup for the glaze, simply make a simple syrup with light brown sugar and let it boil a little to reduce. These are delicious toasted the next day, just make sure to wrap them tightly so they stay moist. 

For 10 (small) buns

Dough

250g flour (1 and 3/4 cup) preferably bread flour or high protein all purpose such as King Arthur

57g butter (half a stick or 4 tablespoons)

3g salt

4g instant yeast

1 egg

28g sugar

130g water

15g instant mashed potato flakes

Filling

57g butter (the other half of the stick)

35g sugar 

1/2 tablespoon ground cardamom

To make the dough, put some water to boil, then place the potato flakes in a big bowl. Pour the boiling water over, then add the butter and let it melt. Add the sugar and egg, and whisk it in. At this point, the temperature should be lukewarm, perfect for the yeast. Add it along with the flour and salt and knead the dough until it feels smooth and elastic, and it stops being too sticky. 

Let the dough prove in a warm spot for about an hour or until doubled in size, or overnight in the fridge. 

In the meantime, make the filling:

Soften the butter for a few seconds in the microwave, then mix it thoroughly with the sugar and cardamom. (If you don’t have a microwave, place it in a slightly warm oven or under the sun)

When the dough is ready, gently deflate the dough then roll it into a rectangle. Spread the filling evenly on half of it, then fold the other half over it. Cut strips of dough about an inch wide, then cut each strip in half lengthwise almost to the edge, like a pair of pants

To form the bun, twist the strips of dough like a rope, then wrap it around itself in a spiral, then over across it, and tuck the end underneath. This helps the bun from unraveling as it proves and bakes. (That probably will happen to some of them, but that’s ok. )

Prove them a second time in a warm spot for about half an hour, or until they look puffy. 

Bake at 400F for 10 to 15 minutes , or until they look beautifully golden brown on top.

When they come out of the oven, brush them with a syrup made of 1 tablespoon of golden syrup and 1 teaspoon water (or a reduced simple syrup)