#kardemummabullar

Two years ago, in January, I started learning Swedish. It was one of the goals I set myself to that months (one little thing each month goes a longer way than an endless list of “resolutions”, I’ve found!) Since then, I’ve stopped to read, announce and translate the title of every book each time we go to Ikea. I’ve also baked Fettisdagens Semlor from a recipe I translated myself. And, of course, I’ve been to Sweden and have spoken Swedish with Swedes! Seven days full of conversations i svenska! On my second day in Stockholm, I walked all the way to and around Djurgården. Vilka fridful plats!* At Rosendals Trädgård, I marvelled at the flowers, heaps of varieties and colours, and smells, oh so divine! And I felt a bit peckish so I went to the garden’s shop and hesitated a long time, looking at the pastries which all seem scrumptious, before asking “en kardemummabulle, tack!”**, and as I ate it whilst looking at the sun glistening at the water, I felt I’d made the best choice. Every time I had a fika that week, I had a cardamom bun, and it was sheer bliss. So, I knew it would be a matter of time before I tried baking them. When, Henry baked them for Festival Week on the Great British Bake Off, I thought: “Okej, but this was my idea!” Oh well, I don’t hold hard feelings, and it took me until today to bake these scrumptious indeed Kardemummabullar, because a little exercise of translation came first. 

* What a peaceful place! ** “a cinnamon bun, please!”

Ingredients (makes 20 small or 10 large):

75 grams/2.65 ounces unsalted butter

250 millilitres/1 cup semi-skimmed milk

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1 tablespoon cardamom pods

2 1/2 cups plain flour

1/2 cup strong white flour

1/2 cup caster sugar

2 tablespoons cardamom pods

6 tablespoons caster sugar

100 grams/3.5 ounces unsalted butter, softened

1 plump vanilla bean

1 tablespoon cardamom pods

2 tablespoons caster sugar

1 egg

In a small saucepan, melt butter over a low flame. Once almost completely melted, stir in milk, and heat, until just warm to the touch, but not hot. Remove from the heat and stir in yeast until dissolved; set aside.

Crush cardamom pods, and place cardamom seeds in a mortar. Grind with a pestle.

In a large bowl, combine plain flour, strong white flour and caster sugar. Stir in ground cardamom. Dig a well in the middle of the dry ingredients, and gradually stir in yeast mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon, until a dough comes together.

Tip dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead, a good five minutes. Pop dough back into the bowl, cover with cling film and prove, in a warm, draught-free room, about 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Crush cardamom pods, and place cardamom seeds in a mortar. Grind with a pestle, adding a couple of tablespoons caster sugar, to make it easier. Spoon butter into a medium bowl. Scrape seeds off the vanilla bean, and add to the bowl. Stir in cardamom sugar, and remaining sugar, creaming energetically with a wooden spoon until smooth and well-blended. Set aside.

Line two baking trays with baking paper; set aside.

Punch dough down, and knead, a couple of minutes. Then roll dough into a large square, about 40 cm/15.75″. Spread filling evenly all over the dough square. Fold over, pressing the edges. Using a sharp knife, cut 20 dough strips, about 2 cm/0.8″ wide. 

Now comes the shaping. Take a dough strip in your hands and gently stretch it, so it is about 45-50 centimetres/17.7″-19.6″ long. Do that carefully, you don’t want the dough to tear. Once stretched, roll the strip twice around two fingers. Start a third roll, but instead of going around your fingers, allow the strip to go between your fingers. Then, lift the knot off your fingers, and tuck the end of the strip underneath. Place shaped bun onto prepared baking tray, and proceed likewise with remaing strips, until you have 20 shaped buns.

Cover with cling film, and prove a second time, 30 to 40 minutes.

Preheat oven to 225°C/435°F.

Crush cardamom pods, and place cardamom seeds in a mortar. Grind with a pestle. Gradually add sugar, grinding to combine. Set aside.

Lightly beat the egg, and brush buns with egg wash. Sprinkle buns generously with two thirds of the cardamom sugar.

Place in the oven, and bake, at 225°C/435°F, 13 minutes, alternating baking trays halfway through cooking, so they bake evenly.

Once baked, remove from the oven, and sprinkle with remaining cardamom sugar.