Cardamom Buns
These classic Scandinavian buns are infused with the floral aroma of freshly crushed cardamom. The enriched dough is filled with a spiced butter and sugar mixture, then shaped into knots, baked until golden, and finished with a glossy cardamom syrup. Ideal for a leisurely breakfast, brunch, or a sweet dessert, they fill the kitchen with a wonderful scent. The recipe yields 12 buns and requires about 65 minutes of active preparation, plus proving time.
Ingredients
- 35 cardamom pods
- 350ml full-fat milk
- 200g butter cubed
- 500g strong white bread flour plus extra for dusting
- 225g golden caster sugar
- 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- vegetable oil or sunflower oil, for greasing
- 1 large egg beaten
- 2 tbsp pearl sugar (available from ocado.com)
Method
- Use a pestle and mortar to crack 10 cardamom pods and place them in a saucepan. Pour in the milk and warm it until steaming. Add 50g of the butter, setting the rest aside to soften, then leave the mixture to cool to lukewarm, swirling occasionally.
- Combine the flour, 75g of the sugar, yeast, cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp salt in a large bowl. Strain the cooled milk mixture into the dry ingredients, discarding the pods. Mix to form a soft dough, then knead for 10 mins by hand or 5 mins in a mixer. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and leave to rise for 2 hrs.
- Crack the remaining cardamom pods, remove the seeds, and crush them to a powder. Mix this with 150g sugar. In a separate bowl, blend the softened remaining butter with all but 2 tbsp of this cardamom sugar.
- Line two baking trays. Punch down the risen dough and roll it to a 35 x 45cm rectangle. Spread the cardamom butter over the surface. Fold the top third down and the bottom third up. Cut into 12 strips, slit each down the centre, twist, and tie into a knot. Place each bun on a tray.
- Cover the trays with oiled cling film and leave to prove for 30 mins - 1 hr. Meanwhile, heat your oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5.
- Brush the buns with beaten egg and sprinkle with pearl sugar. Bake for 20-25 mins until golden, swapping the trays halfway through cooking.
- Combine the reserved 2 tbsp cardamom sugar with 50ml water in a pan. Bring to a boil, then cool to make a syrup. Brush this over the warm buns several times and let them soak for 20 mins. They keep for 2 days or can be frozen for 2 months.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories381 kcal
Fat16 g
Saturates10 g
Carbs52 g
Sugars20 g
Fibre1 g
Protein7 g
Sodium240 mg
Recipe details
Skill levelMore effort
CategoryBreakfast
Cuisinescandinavian
