Leila Lindholm’s Classic Swedish Cinnamon & Cardamom Buns

Directions

1. Open the cardamom pods and crush the seeds in a mortar and pestle or electric spice grinder until fine.
2. Pour the milk into a pan. Add the cardamom and gently heat until around 115° F (45° C).
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large mixing bowl, briefly mix sugar, yeast, salt, butter, and egg. Don't worry if the butter is still a bit lumpy.
4. Add the milk and cardamom, mix briefly, and add most of the flour.
5. In a stand mixer, use the dough hook and knead for a few minutes, until the dough is glossy, smooth, and soft. (Alternatively, knead by hand for 5 minutes.) The dough should be a little sticky: Don’t add too much flour at once, as you don’t want to end up with a dry or hard dough.
6. Cover the bowl with the tea-towel and leave the dough to proof until doubled in size.
7. In the meantime, make the filling: Mix all three ingredients until well combined and smooth.
8. Once the dough is well risen, tip it onto a floured work surface and divide it in two.
9. Roll half the dough into a large rectangle and spread half the filling on top, covering the whole rectangle.
10. Fold the dough into three like a business letter (fold the top long side down to the middle, then fold the bottom long side over the top).
11. Cut the dough into 3/4-inch (2-centimeter) strips, then cut every strip down the middle, leaving one end intact (so they look like a pair of trousers). Twist the two “legs” into a knot (this does not have to be very precise, you can go a bit freeform).
12. Place the buns on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with a tea towel, and leave to rise until almost doubled in size, about 40 minutes. Repeat with the other half of the dough and filling.
13. Preheat the oven to 400° F (200° C). Brush the buns with lightly beaten egg and bake for about 10 minutes or until golden.
14. Brush the still-warm buns with golden syrup mixed with water and sprinkle with ground cardamom mixed with superfine sugar.