Swedish Cardamom Rolls

Swedish Cardamom Rolls (Kardemummabullar) Makes 15-20 rolls

Cardamom may be replaced with cinnamon for cinnamon rolls

Cardamom dough

• 250 ml (1 c. + 1 Tbsp.) milk, warmer than room temperature, but not hot
• 7 g (1 envelope) dry active yeast
• 65 g (⅓ c.) light brown sugar
• 406 g (3 ¼ c.) all-purpose flour, plus some to flour surfaces
• 1/2 tsp. Ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp. Salt
• 75 g (5 Tbsp + 1 tsp) butter, at room temperature
• Oil/butter/cooking spray to grease bowl

Cardamom filling

• 65 g (4 ½ Tbsp.) butter, at room temperature.
• 65 g (⅓ c) light brown sugar.
• 1 ½ tsp. Ground cardamom (or replace some with cinnamon for a total of 1.5 tsp)

Cardamom topping

• 60 ml (¼ c) water
• 50 g (¼ c) light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. Ground cardamom
• Pearl, granulated, or decorating sugar to sprinkle over top

PROCEDURE

Cardamom dough: all mixing can be done by hand or with an electric mixer

Pregrease/oil a large bowl and set aside

In a bowl, add yeast to the warm milk with 1 tsp. brown sugar and stir until yeast has dissolved. Let activate for 10 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, mix together flour, brown sugar (minus the 1 tsp. added to yeast), cardamom, and salt After yeast has been activated, add the yeast/milk mixture to the flour mixture and mix until dough begins to come together. Add cubed butter. Once all butter has been added, knead for about 5 minutes. You want this to be a fairly loose dough, so be sure to not over knead. Over kneading will make the pastry tough.

Scrape dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a bun. Tuck the edges toward the center, flip so seams are on the surface, then roll on the surface in a circular motion to build tension. Place in your greased bowl, seam side down and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Place in a warm place and let rise for about 40 minutes.

Cardamom filling

Combine butter, brown sugar, and cardamom. Mix together until creamy and smooth

FORMING

Grease baking sheets or line with parchment or baking mats and set aside On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough into a rectangle (roughly 12” x 20”) Using a spatula, spread filling onto dough rectangle. Fold one side into middle, then other side over the first, much like folding a letter into an envelope. Turn dough and roll out dough slightly.

Cut the dough into ~1” strips. Roll and/or twist the strips into preferred bun shape. Place buns on prelined baking sheets. Cover with clean kitchen towel and let rise for about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 225ºC/435ºF

CARDAMOM TOPING

While rolls are proofing, heat water. Dissolve brown sugar into water and add cardamom and vanilla. Bring to simmer for one minute, stirring constantly, then turn off heat. Set syrup aside.

BAKE Bake proofed rolls for 7-8 minutes until tops are golden brown Remove from oven and immediately brush tops with syrup and sprinkle with sugar Serve and enjoy!