Classic Cardamom Knots or Kardemummabullar are soft buns made of yeast dough and are an integral part of Swedish fika (“a coffee and cake break”). Kardemummabullar is said to be Queen of fika! I couldn’t agree more!
Have you heard of the fika? Fika is more than just a coffee and cake break for the Swedes. It is a ritual for them, a time to take a break, a time to socialize with friends and at the same time enjoy something sweet. The Swedes have two fikas, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, and it is an integral part of their lifes. They find it very important to take the time to “stop” and simply enjoy a break and socialize, because apart from taking a break from work has a beneficial effect on the brain and refreshes it, socializing with friends/colleagues strengthens social bonds. In any case, it has been proven that companies where fika is institutionalised are more productive and have stronger social ties between employees.
Wherever you live include fika in your daily schedule! You can never be too busy fika!
Cardamom along with cinnamon is one of my favorite spices. Although, it is, unfortunately, overshadowed by cinnamon, this spice is special and I think it deserves to be incorporated more often into different dishes or desserts. If you have never tried it, I strongly advise you to do it, not only because it is healthy, it gives the dishes a special taste. Green cardamom has a fresh, slightly lemony taste (taste is very complex and difficult to describe) and is interesting for use in savory and sweet dishes, while black cardamom tastes more like mint, eucalyptus, and is best paired with savory dishes. Unfortunately, I’m in the minority as far as the love of cardamom in my family is concerned, only my dad and I love it, so I don’t use as much as I would like.
Back to these buns, they are soft and tender and they have 3 doses of cardamom in them, one in the dough, the other in the filling and the third in the syrup with which we coat the baked buns. Divine! This is really a dessert for true cardamom lovers, and I think even those who have not tried it cardamom may fall in love with this buns. And if you really don’t love cardamom, simply replace it with cinnamon!
In these difficult times, I find therapy in baking, especially the mixing of sweet dough, so here is a double dose of well-being for me, a “therapy” that distracts me from the current situation and I enjoy something I really like to eat, and I just love that scent that spreads around the house when sweet yeast dough buns are baked!
WHICH INGREDIENTS YOU NEED
- all-purpose/plain flour
- milk
- unsalted butter, very soft (but not melted)
- egg, L size (60 grams)
- granulated and brown sugar
- dry yeast, instant or active
- ground cardamom (*read a tip in “tips and tricks” section) and vanilla extract
- salt
- water
TIPS AND TRICKS
- VIDEO – How to shape Kanelbullar (Swedish Cardamom Buns)!
- I always suggest using a kitchen scale. If you don’t have one, buy it! They are cheap and you will always ensure same results in baking!
- I use Large eggs which are around 60-65 grams. In US it would be an XL egg.
- Weather can affect your ingredients. If you live in a moist climate, chances are you’ll need at least the recommended amount of flour, maybe even 30-40 grams (1/4 cup) more. The dough should be sticky, but still manageable. While you’re kneading, the dough should come together and pull away from the sides of the bowl, leaving the bowl mostly clean. Don’t add too much flour because your bread will be more dense. When you pick the dough up, some will stick to your fingers. After the first rise, it will be easier to handle!
- For the best results, make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature.
- Make sure that the milk is not too hot (it should be lukewarm, up to 37 °C/98°F), hot will kill the yeast and your dough will not rise.
- *I tried this recipe with both freshly ground cardamom (I used a mortar and pestle to grind the seeds) and one that was purchased already ground. Freshly ground cardamom is a lot more aromatic and the buns will taste better, but if you can’t buy it in the seeds, use the already ground, the taste is still fantastic.
- If you use a smaller egg in size, you will also need some less flour. But I always recommend sticking to the recipe. A large egg L – when taken out of the shell weighs about 60-65 grams.
- When mixing the dough, make sure the dough is elastic and it’s not sticking to the mixing bowl. It should also be glossy when you leave it to rise.
- If you don’t have sugar pearls, you can use white sugar cubes. Simply crush the sugar cubes into a small pieces and sprinkle on top of the buns.
- After you take the buns out of the oven, immediately brush tops with prepared syrup.
→If you make this sweet buns, please leave a comment, rate it and tag @mihaela_biteitquick on Instagram! I would love to see what you baked!
Happy baking,
Cardamom Buns
Ingredients
- 250 grams warm milk 1 cup, 8.8 oz
- 7 grams dry yeast 1 envelope
- 50 grams brown sugar 1/4 cup
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 400 grams all-purpose flour 14.1 oz + more if needed
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom preferably freshly grined
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 80 grams unsalted butter 2.8 oz, 1/3 cup, cubed and softened
Filling:
- 100 grams butter 3.5 oz, room temperature
- 50 grams granulated sugar 1.76 oz, 1/4 cup
- 2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg beaten for egg wash
Syrup:
- 50 grams water 1.76 oz
- 50 grams granulated sugar 1.76 oz, 1/4 cup
- 1 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix milk and sugar, and sprinkle yeast over it, let it sit for a few minutes or until foamy.
- In a separate bowl, whisk flour, cardamom and salt.
- Using a paddle attachment, with the mixer on low speed, stir in egg, vanilla and approx 1/4 of flour mixture into the milk and yeast mixture and mix until fully incorporated. With a mixer on low speed, add in softened and cubed butter, piece by piece until fully incorporated, slowly add rest of the flour and stir until all of the flour is moistened.
- Switch to the dough hook, and knead for 8-10 minutes or until the dough is smooth, pliable, and stretchy, but still soft and not overly sticky. You may need to add more flour, a tablespoon at the time – you want the mixture to end up a bit sticky, but not so much that it sticks to your finger if you poke it. It is better not to add too much flour as this will result in dry buns.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1-1 1/2 hour.
- For the filling, using an electric mixer, mix butter, sugar, and ground cardamom on medium-low until creamy and smooth.
- Deflate the dough by punching it down and place on a floured surface. Roll out dough into a 40 x 50 cm (16 x 20 inch) rectangle.
- Using a spatula, spread the cardamom butter all over the dough, then fold the dough in half (you will end up with a 20 x 50 cm (8 x 20-inch) rectangle).
- Line two baking trays with baking paper.
- Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, cut the dough in half, then repeat this process until you have used all of it. You should have about 16 equal strips. Now, cut each strip down the middle, but leave it attached on top, about 1.5 cm. Carefully take one strip and wrap it around two of your fingers twice to create a roll then loop the remaining length around the top twice, tucking the end underneath (How to make knots- link for a video is in tips and trick section).
- Place each bun on the baking sheet and leave to prove under a dish towel for another 30 minutes.
- While proofing, preheat oven to 190°C/375°F at least 30 minutes before baking.
- For the syrup, while rolls are proofing, heat water and sugar in a small saucepan on high until sugar has dissolved completely, add in vanilla and cardamom and set aside.
- Brush each bun lightly with the beaten egg, sprinkle with sugar pearls and bake in the preheated oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown, (depending on your oven, buns can be done within 12-25 minutes so watch them as they bake: they can go dark very quickly and you may also need to rotate the pan if they are not baking evenly.)
- After you take the buns out of the oven, immediately brush tops with prepared syrup.
Notes
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