Kardemummabullar (Swedish Cardamom Buns)

Ingredients

• 500g all-purpose flour
• 75g sugar
• 10g instant yeast
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 tsp freshly ground green cardamom
• 250ml whole milk, warmed
• 1 large egg
• 100g unsalted butter, softened
• 100g unsalted butter, softened, for the filling
• 75g sugar, for the filling
• 2 tsp ground cardamom, for the filling
• 1 egg, beaten, for brushing
• Swedish pearl sugar, for topping

Before you cook

• Grind the cardamom pods fresh if you can, since the smell fades fast once ground.
• Soften both batches of butter at room temperature.

Steps

1. Mix the flour, sugar, yeast, salt and ground cardamom in a large bowl.
2. Add the warm milk and egg to the dry ingredients.
3. Knead the mixture for 8 minutes until a rough dough forms.
4. Add the 100g of softened butter in pieces, kneading until smooth and elastic, about 5 more minutes.
5. Cover the dough and let it rise for 1 hour until doubled.
6. Beat together the remaining 100g butter, sugar and cardamom for the filling until creamy.
7. Roll the risen dough out into a rectangle about 40cm by 30cm.
8. Spread the cardamom butter filling evenly over the dough.
9. Fold the dough in half lengthwise to cover the filling.
10. Cut the folded dough into strips about 1.5cm wide.
11. Twist each strip and coil it around itself into a knot, tucking the end underneath.
12. Place the shaped buns on a lined baking tray, spaced apart.
13. Cover the buns and let them rise for 30 minutes until puffy.
14. Preheat the oven to 200C.
15. Brush the buns with the beaten egg and sprinkle generously with pearl sugar.
16. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until deep golden brown.
17. Cool the buns on a rack for at least 10 minutes before serving.