Kanelbullar (cardamom and cinnamon buns)

Name: Kanelbullar (cardamom and cinnamon buns)
Ingredients: warm milk (35–38 °C) — 250 g; dry yeast — 7 g (or 25 g fresh); egg — 1; honey — 100 g (or 80 g sugar); freshly ground cardamom — 2 tsp (about 3 g); salt — 1 tsp; butter, room temperature — 75 g; flour — 450–480 g; butter, room temperature — 100 g; brown sugar — 90 g; dark syrup or honey — 1 tbsp; ground cinnamon — 1.5 tbsp (don't skimp!); flour — 2 tsp; sugar — 50 g; water — 50 g; pearl sugar (Hagelzucker)

I searched for a long time, but settled on the most authentic Swedish recipe and adapted it slightly to our proportions 🇸🇪

10–12 buns

Ingredients

For the dough

warm milk (35–38 °C) — 250 g
dry yeast — 7 g (or 25 g fresh)
egg — 1
honey — 100 g (or 80 g sugar)
freshly ground cardamom — 2 tsp (about 3 g)
salt — 1 tsp
butter, room temperature — 75 g
flour — 450–480 g

For the filling

butter, room temperature — 100 g
brown sugar — 90 g
dark syrup or honey — 1 tbsp
ground cinnamon — 1.5 tbsp (don't skimp!)
flour — 2 tsp

For the syrup

sugar — 50 g
water — 50 g

For the topping

pearl sugar (Hagelzucker)

Method

Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk. Add the egg, honey, cardamom, salt and most of the flour. Knead in a stand mixer for about 5 minutes.
Add the butter a piece at a time and knead for another 10–15 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. The Swedish rule: slightly sticky is better than dry. Only add the remaining flour if the dough really sticks to your hands.
Cover with cling film (essential, so it doesn't dry out) and leave somewhere warm for 1–1.5 hours, until doubled in size.
Mix all the filling ingredients into a smooth paste. The flour and syrup are there for a reason: they keep the filling inside the buns instead of running out onto the tray.
Roll the dough out thinly into a rectangle of about 50×35 cm and spread with the filling. Fold it in three, short side to short side, like a letter. Turn it a quarter and roll lightly over the top.
Cut into strips about 3 cm wide. Twist each strip, wrap it around two fingers and tuck the end under the knot.
Place on a tray lined with baking paper, cover and leave to rise for about an hour.
While they rise, make the syrup: heat the sugar and water until dissolved, then cool completely.
Bake without an egg wash at 220 °C (top and bottom heat) for 8–10 minutes. The buns are thin, and the quick, high heat keeps them moist. Watch closely — they brown very fast.
Straight out of the oven, brush with the cold syrup and sprinkle generously with pearl sugar.

Tips

If the dough has warmed up and the filling smears, chill it for 10–15 minutes before cutting — the layers will be sharper.