Swedish Cardamom Buns

Do you love the fresh fragrance of Cardamom seeds? Now imagine it mixed with the heavenly aroma of freshly baked bread? Therapeutic, isn’t it? That’s what my home smelled like when I made these oh so yummy buns!

Let’s brush up some facts from wikioedia: PULLA refers to a bun or pastry flavored with Cardamom. It is served with coffee or tea. Cardamom-flavored ‘pulla’ called korvapuusti and buns are commonly eaten in Finland and Sweden.

I recently came across this while talking to a friend from New York, who said, its a very famous Swedish bread which New Yorkers love. And since it was flavored with one of my most favorite spices Cardamom (Elaichi), I had to try this. The mildly sweet taste with the softness of bread is heavenly! The knotted shape looks confusing to make but its not. Well, traditionally you have to wrap it twice around your fingers and tuck it over the thumb. But I used an easier braided approach. checkout the recipe below:

Ingredients: (makes 5-6 buns)

All purpose flour- 1.5 cups

Milk- 3/4 cup

Active dry Instant Yeast- 1.5 tsp

Sugar- 1/2 cup

Coursely Ground Cardamom seeds- 2 tsp

Softened Butter- 5 tbsp (unsalted)

Salt- 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. In luke warm milk, add 1.5 tsp sugar and yeast and stir. Let it rest for 10 min.

2. In a bowl, add all purpose flour, 1 tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp ground cardamom seeds, salt and 1.5 tbsp butter. Mix it well.

3. Add milk and yeast mixture and knead for 10 minutes into a soft and sticky dough.

4. Let it rest for 2 hours

5. Now roll the dough in 1/4 inch thickness into a rectangular shape. Keep the shorter edge towards yourself.

6. In a bowl, mix 1 tbsp coarsely ground cardamom seeds with 2 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp sugar.

7. Spread this mixture evenly on the rolled dough.

8. Now fold the dough 2-fold like a letter. First 1/3 from top and then from bottom.

9. Roll it flat. Cut 1 inch wide strips.

10. Take 2 strips and join from tips making shape of ‘A’.

11. Twist both the strips outwards 2-3 times and then braid them and tuck the ends together. Put them in baking tray lined with parchment paper.

12. Repeat for all strips

13. Cover with a cloth Let the buns rest at room temp for 30 min. The buns will rise.

14. Preheat oven to 450 F (230 C).

15. Brush the buns with milk or a beaten egg. And sprinkle with a mixture of sugar and ground cardamom.