Kardemummabullar – Swedish Cardamom Buns
If you’re a fan of cinnamon rolls, you have to try Swedish Cardamom Buns, or as they are called in Sweden, kardemummabullar. These buns are soft and fluffy, aromatic and sweet, and just the best with a cup of coffee or tea.
Kardemummabullar
Cardamom buns, kardemummabullar in Swedish, have a long history in Sweden and are a popular pastry enjoyed throughout the country. The exact origin of cardamom buns in Sweden is unclear, but it is believed that they were introduced by German bakers who came to Sweden in the 17th century.
The Origin of Cardamom in Sweden
Cardamom is not native to Sweden, but it has become an integral part of Swedish cuisine. During the Middle Ages, traders brought spices from the East to Sweden, and cardamom was one of them. Over time, cardamom became a staple in Swedish baking and cooking, especially in sweet dishes like these buns.
Milk
I use nonfat milk in my bun dough. I worked at a bakery in Stockholm that made the best cardamom buns I had ever had. They used water and milk powder in their bun dough. This gave their dough the richness and added flavor of adding milk but they were better able to control the fat content. I thought this was genius but also realize most home bakers don’t have milk powder laying around. Nonfat milk was the perfect solution then! Are they going to be bad if you use whole milk or a milk alternative like almond or oat? No, of course not! But best practice is nonfat milk.
Flour
I use All Purpose flour in my bun dough. The dough gets worked quite a lot in the machine so I don’t really need to worry about whether I’ll get enough gluten development. Plus you want a bun that is soft and plush, not one that is chewy and bready. AP helps you achieve the correct texture.
Yeast
There are two common types of yeast used in baking. Fresh yeast, also known as compressed yeast or cake yeast, is a moist and perishable yeast that needs to be kept refrigerated. Fresh yeast has a shorter shelf life compared to dry yeast. It needs to be used within a week or so of purchase. Dry yeast, on the other hand, is a dehydrated form of yeast that has a longer shelf life and can be stored at room temperature. Fresh yeast is what is most readily available for me, therefore all my recipes use it instead of dry.
To convert from fresh yeast to dry yeast, divide the amount of fresh yeast called for in the recipe by 3, and then use that same amount of dry yeast. For example, this recipe calls for 70 grams of fresh yeast, so you should use 23 grams of dry yeast. It’s important to note that the rising time may need to be adjusted when using different types of yeast.
Cardamom
There are two types of cardamom: green cardamom and black cardamom. The black variety is used in Swedish baking, and it’s the ground seeds rather than the green husk that is used. This gives the dough the pretty black flecks instead of a grayish tinge. Black cardamom has a smoky flavor, while green cardamom has a more delicate flavor. Black cardamom is highly suggested for this recipe as it is what will get you that classic swedish kardemummabullar – swedish cardamom bun flavor, but if you can only find green don’t worry about, the buns will still be delicious.
Shaping the Buns
Once your dough is ready, roll it into a large rectangle about 1cm thick. Spread the butter filling, sprinkle the cardamom sugar, and fold into thirds. Then, roll it out and portion into your desired size. At this point, you can shape the dough into whatever form you prefer. Traditionally, the buns are rolled into a knot shape, but you can also make them into twists, swirls, or any other shape that tickles your fancy. I like to make them in knots as seen in the video at the bottom of the page.
Proofing
Proofing these buns can take quite a while. It can take anywhere from 45 minutes to over three hours, depending on the temperature and humidity of your kitchen. The most important thing is that they are doubled in size, look really puffy and hold an indent when gently poked.
Baking
Once they’ve risen, bake them at 200C (400F) for about nine minutes, or until they are golden brown. When they’re out of the oven, brush them with egg wash or simple syrup. I like to brush mine with egg wash. This seems to be very controversial on tiktok. I understand that people are really afraid of raw eggs and salmonella in some parts of the world but it really isn’t a concern in Sweden. Besides, the egg is not raw. You brush such a light layer of egg wash on the buns as soon as they come out of the oven, when they are screaming hot, that the egg cooks instantly. Brushing them after, as opposed to before, makes them really soft as well as shiny. If the egg wash really freaks you out then brush with simple syrup (1:1 water and sugar boiled together) instead.
A Note for Americans
I have found that flour in American sucks up more liquid than that I use in Sweden. If you feel like your dough is really dry or stiff, add an extra 50g of milk and mix for an additional 5 minutes.
Kardemummabullar – Swedish Cardamom Buns
Ingredients
Dough:
- 500 g nonfat milk
- 1100 g AP flour
- 200 g sugar
- 200 g room temperature butter
- 23 g ground cardamom
- 70 g fresh yeast
- 15 g 2 ½ tsp salt
Filling:
- 300 g very soft butter
- 250 g sugar
- 3 g vanilla sugar
- 3 g salt optional
Cardamom Sugar:
- 100 g sugar
- 40 g cardamon
Instructions
Dough:
- Add all ingredients to the bowl of your stand mixer.
- Using the hook attachment mix on low for 5 minutes, until the ingredients are all incorporated.
- Turn the speed up to like a medium to medium fast for 30 minutes. You want to work up as much gluten as you can.
- When your dough is smooth and pliable, it needs to rest. In the winter you can shape it into a rectangle, leave it on your counter covered in plastic or a tea towel for 30 minutes. In the summer I like to shape it into a rectangle, cover it with plastic and let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour until it is cool but not yet cold/hard.
Filling:
- Mix it all together.
Cardamon Sugar:
- Mix together
Buns:
- Roll the dough into a large rectangle, it should end up being about 1cm (⅓ inch) thick.
- Spread the filling onto the dough.
- Sprinkle on a generous amount of the cardamom sugar
- Fold into thirds
- Roll out and start to portion. In the bakeries I’ve worked in the buns are usually around 100g, but this feels very large at home, 80-90g works well.
- Shape as desired
- Place on a baking tray, cover, and let rise until double in size. In the winter this can take me over three hours. But lately, since it July and therefore very warm and humid, it can take as little as 45 minutes to an hour.
- Bake at 200C (400F) for about 9 minutes or until golden brown. I like to check mine and rotate the tray at the 5 or 6 minute mark so they don’t get overbrown.
- Brush with egg wash or simple syrup as soon as they come out of the oven.
- Immediately sprinkle them with cardamom sugar.
- Let cool (if you can wait that long) and enjoy!