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Kardemummabullar

Cardamom buns

Kardemummabullar: knotted Swedish cardamom buns with pearl sugar

Stockholm bakeries have made the knotted cardamom bun almost as famous as the cinnamon bun, and in cafés on Södermalm it is the bun people queue for with their afternoon fika coffee. A soft, buttery yeast dough is rolled out, spread with cardamom butter, folded, cut into strips and twisted into knots before being glazed and showered with pearl sugar. Freshly crushed cardamom seeds make all the difference. A common mistake is using ready-ground cardamom, which tastes dusty. Chef's tip: twist each strip tightly before tying the knot so the layers of filling show and caramelise in the oven.
Total time
52 min
Difficulty
medium
Serves
16
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Ingredients

Serves16

For the dough

For the filling

To finish

  • 1 eggbeaten
  • 3 tbsp pearl sugar

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Method

0/5 done
  1. Step 1: Stir ⅞ oz fresh yeast into 1 cup whole milk until dissolved, then add 2 ⅛ oz sugar, 1 tsp cardamom seeds, freshly crushed and ¼ tsp salt.

    5 min
  2. Step 2: Add 16 oz plain flour and 2 ⅝ oz soft butter and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth, elastic and pulling away from the bowl. Cover and leave for 1 hour until doubled.

    10 min
  3. Step 3: Beat 3 ½ oz soft butter, 2 ⅞ oz sugar and 1 tbsp cardamom seeds, freshly crushed into a soft paste.

    3 min
  4. Step 4: Roll the dough into a 30 × 40 cm rectangle. Spread the filling over half, fold the other half over and roll gently. Cut into 16 strips, twist each strip, wrap twice around two fingers and tuck the end through to make a knot. Set on lined trays and leave for 30–40 minutes until puffy.

    15 min
  5. Step 5: Brush with 1 egg, sprinkle with 3 tbsp pearl sugar and bake at 425°F for 10–12 minutes until deep golden and the sugar in the knots is bubbling. Cool on a rack under a tea towel so they stay soft.

    12 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories
230 kcal
Protein
4 g
Carbs
30 g
Fat
10 g
Fibre
1 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does kardemummabullar take?
About 52 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 12 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
16 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegetarian?
Yes. It has no meat or fish.
What can I use instead of whole milk?
Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
What can I use instead of sugar?
Caster sugar, same amount.

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Perfect for:Tea-time