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Shirini danmarki
Cinnamon cardamom pastry swirls
Persian 'Danish' pastry swirls with cinnamon and cardamom, from the Nowruz bakery box
In Tehran, nobody arrives empty-handed on a Nowruz visit: the custom is a cardboard box of shirini from the neighbourhood bakery, and soft, glazed shirini danmarki swirls are always tucked in among the cookies. This home version uses an enriched yeast dough rolled thin, spread with cinnamon-cardamom butter, rolled up and sliced into spirals that bake tender and flaky-edged. Serve them with tea in small glasses while the haft-sin table is laid. The common mistake is rushing the rise in a hot spot, which makes the buns dense and yeasty; a warm kitchen and patience give the lightest crumb. Chef's tip: chill the filled roll for 15 minutes before slicing, so the spirals stay round instead of squashing flat.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the dough
- 16 oz plain flour
- 2 ⅛ oz caster sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup whole milklukewarm
- 1 eggbeaten
- 2 ⅛ oz unsalted buttersoft
For the filling
- 2 ½ oz unsalted buttervery soft
- 2 ⅞ oz light brown sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
For the glaze
- 1 egg yolkbeaten with 1 tbsp milk
- 1 ¾ oz caster sugar
- 3 ½ tbsp water
- 1 tsp rose water
- 2 tbsp pistachios (optional)finely chopped
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Mix the 16 oz plain flour, ¼ oz fast-action dried yeast, 2 ⅛ oz caster sugar and ½ tsp salt in a large bowl. Add the lukewarm ¾ cup whole milk and 1 egg and bring together into a shaggy dough.
10 minStep 2: Knead in the soft 2 ⅛ oz unsalted butter a little at a time, then knead for 8–10 minutes until the dough is smooth, glossy and springs back when pressed.
10 minStep 3: Cover and leave in a warm (not hot) place for about 1¼ hours until doubled in size.
75 minStep 4: Beat the 2 ½ oz unsalted butter, 2 ⅞ oz light brown sugar, 2 tsp ground cinnamon and ½ tsp ground cardamom to a soft paste.
5 minStep 5: Roll the dough out on a floured worktop to a 40 x 30 cm rectangle. Spread the filling evenly, leaving a 1 cm strip bare along one long side, then roll up tightly towards that strip and pinch to seal.
10 minStep 6: Chill the roll for 15 minutes, then cut it into 12 slices with a sharp knife. Lay them cut side up on two lined baking trays, spaced well apart.
15 minStep 7: Cover loosely and leave to rise for 30 minutes until puffy. Heat the oven to 375°F (350°F fan).
30 minStep 8: Brush with the 1 egg yolk and bake for 15–18 minutes until deep golden; the underside should sound hollow when tapped.
18 minStep 9: Meanwhile boil the 1 ¾ oz caster sugar and 3 ½ tbsp water for 2 minutes, then stir in the 1 tsp rose water. Brush the hot pastries with the syrup and scatter with 2 tbsp pistachios. They keep 2 days in a tin.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does shirini danmarki take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 50 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of fast-action dried yeast?
- Fresh yeast, three times the weight.
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