Sweet, Swedish cinnamon & cardamon buns

When I go home to Sweden this is one of the first things I seek out, and it has to be from one of three reputable bakeries as my 'kanel bulle', literally transited to cinnamon bun, has to be perfectly baked. Crisp on the outside, soft and full of spice in the middle. Preferably butter and sugar has not been held back as this combo will give the bun a slightly caramelised crust on the bottom. Here is one item where I leave healthiness, as in refined sugar and flour, at the road side. 

However, as always I cannot leave the notion of making a healthier version alone, so I have experimented with the recipe for years and so far I have managed to cut back on a little of the sugar and used a bit of wholemeal spelt (although I can recommend not sing any wholemeal as it just adds dryness). So far I have not successfully been able to bring down butter content. 

Here is what you need for the dough: 

600 grams unbleached spelt flour 

150 grams wholemeal spelt

50 grams fresh or dried yeast

5 dl milk of choice (I used rice)

2 cardamon pods - peeled and crushed* 

pinch of salt 

125 gram butter 

1 dl honey, maple syrup or other form of sugar/syrup

Here is what you need for the spice filling: 

150-200 grams butter (amount depending on how brave you dare be with the butter content)

2 tbsp ground cinnamon 

2 tbsp crushed cardamon seeds

1 tsp nutmeg

1,5 dl sugar - preferably coconut, palm or muscovado sugar (or use half/ half maple or honey with sugar)

pinch of salt

optional - an egg used to glaze the buns 

*using fresh cardamon seeds gives so much more flavour and aroma. Peels the shell off the pod of the cardamon, and then grind with a mortar and pestle or using a kitchen towel crush them using something heavy (on a durable surface). 

1. Melt the butter in a pan, take off the heat and add the the milk. You want this mixture to be 37C, which basically is the same temperature as your body, so if you stick your finger in the mix you should feel nothing (not hot nor cold).

2. Add the butter milk mix to a bowl with the yeast. Slowly stir so that the yeast melts into the liquid. 

3. Add the cardamon and salt, mix. Then slowly add the flour, at first stirring with a wooden spoon to avoid clumps. Once you have more of a solid dough, use your hands to turn it into a shiny, elastic dough. Sprinkle a little flour over the top, and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Set aside for 30-40 minutes. The dough should have almost doubled in size. 

4. While the dough proofs, using a blender mix the ingredients for the filling. 

5. Sprinkle flour on a work surface and carefully take out the dough from the bowl and work it into a less sticky, more solid dough. Adding a little flour at a time. 

6. Halve the dough and then roll out one of the dough pieces, you want a sort of large pizza (rather oval than round) approximately 1,5 cm thick. 

7. Now spread the dough with half the filling mix. Then starting at one end of the dough start rolling the dough from one end to the other. You should end up with a long rolled up log. 

8. Cut slices, approximately 3cm wide, horizontally across the log. This should leave you with swirls or snail like shaped buns. you can also make a sort of braid through the log, but this requires a drawn directions. Basically you almost slick through the log as if you were making separate buns, and then you kind of braid these half slices over each other. I won't be offended if this makes no sense. Best to look online how to make this braid. 

9. Place baking paper on a tray and place the slices (leaving enough space between each piece for them to grow. Allow them to proof for 15-20 minutes. 

10. Meanwhile preheat your oven to 180C.

11. Bake the buns in the oven between 15-25minutes. Allow to cool and enjoy with a good cup of tea or coffee.