Cardamom Buns

Ingredients

• 2.333 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 0.5 cup King Arthur Organic Whole Wheat Flour
• 0.5 cup Water (Lukewarm, 100°F)
• 0.375 cup Milk (Lukewarm, 100°F)
• 4 tbsp Butter (At room temperature)
• 2.5 tbsp Granulated sugar (For the dough)
• 1.25 tsp Table salt (For the dough)
• 2 tsp Instant yeast (For the dough)
• 0.75 tsp Ground cardamom (Cloud Forest Ground Cardamom; for the dough)
• 0.5 cup Granulated sugar (For the filling)
• 2 tsp Ground cardamom (Up to 1 tablespoon; Cloud Forest Ground Cardamom; for the filling)
• 1.5 tsp Ground cinnamon (For the filling)
• 1.5 tsp Black cocoa (For the filling)
• 0.5 tsp Ground black pepper (Optional; for the filling)
• 0.25 tsp Table salt (For the filling)
• 1 Egg (Large; beaten with 1 tablespoon water for the egg wash)
• 1 tbsp Water (Mixed with the egg for the egg wash)
• 0.25 cup Water (For the glaze)
• 2 tbsp Granulated sugar (For the glaze)
• 0.25 tsp Ground cardamom (Cloud Forest Ground Cardamom; for the glaze)
• Swedish pearl sugar (For sprinkling)

Steps

1. 1

   Make the dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine all of the dough ingredients. Mix on low for 1 to 2 minutes, until combined, then increase to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 5 minutes. For hand mixing, combine the dough ingredients in a large bowl, let the dough rest for 20 minutes, then knead until smooth.

2. 2

   Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rest for 60 minutes, or until puffy and risen but not necessarily doubled in size.

3. 3

   Make the filling by combining all of the filling ingredients except the egg wash in a small bowl. Set aside.

4. 4

   Place parchment on the work surface and lightly flour it. Transfer the dough to the parchment, sprinkle flour on top, and press or roll it into a rectangle roughly 12 x 20 inches, with the long side parallel to the edge of the work surface.

5. 5

   Brush the entire dough surface with egg wash, reserving any excess. Sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough.

6. 6

   Fold the dough like a letter in thirds: fold the right third into the center, then fold the opposite third over it.

7. 7

   Roll the folded dough briefly until it measures roughly 12 x 8 inches. Lift the parchment and dough onto a baking sheet, cover the tray with plastic or a food-safe bag, press out the air, and refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes.

8. 8

   Keeping the parchment on the baking sheet, transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and roll it into a 16 x 8-inch rectangle.

9. 9

   Using a ruler and pizza wheel or sharp knife, mark 1-inch intervals along both short ends. Align the ruler with the marks and cut eight strips, each 1 inch wide and 16 inches long.

10. 10

    Twist the ends of each strip in opposite directions, stopping before the dough forms a tightly wound tube. Loosely coil each strip into a single-layer spiral, tuck only the tip underneath, and press gently to seal. Transfer each spiral to the parchment-lined baking sheet, repeating with the remaining strips.

11. 11

    Cover the buns loosely and let them rise in a warm place for 60 to 75 minutes, or until slightly puffy and risen. Toward the end of the rise, preheat the oven to 450°F.

12. 12

    Brush each risen bun gently with the reserved egg wash.

13. 13

    Bake for 13 to 20 minutes, until deep golden brown and the interior reaches at least 185°F on a digital thermometer.

14. 14

    While the buns bake, make the glaze. Stir the glaze ingredients together in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat while stirring, then simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has thickened slightly. Set aside until ready to use.

15. 15

    Remove the finished buns from the oven and glaze them immediately. Quickly sprinkle with Swedish pearl sugar before the glaze dries.

Notes

Best enjoyed warm on the day they are baked. Store baked buns overnight in an airtight container at room temperature and reheat in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes. Freeze for longer storage. The source lists 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon cardamom for the filling; 2 teaspoons is used as the scalable quantity here, with the full range preserved in the note.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• breakfast
• baked
• yeast-bread
• vegetarian
• European
• coffee-pairing