cinnamon buns

Cinnamon is my favourite spice. It combines my favourite flavour of all times with my favourite smell. How lucky am I!? It must be association with Christmas and wintertime, cinnamon brings out in me all of those smells and flavours, the feeling of that time of year. Mind you, I was also a Christmastime baby...so maybe that explains my fascination with it!

I can eat cinnamon buns all year 'round though they fit perfectly in for autumnal or winter nights, along with a cup of coffee, of course.

I found this recipe in the Swedish blog Call Me Cupcake! and just had to share with you. I'll be making these this weekend, for sure, as the nights are getting chillier and we are getting more cosier - what better 'comfortable' goodie but my favourite, right?

You don't you try them too? And let me know how it went.

 Cinnamon buns
Makes about 30 buns
 
 Ingredients
150 g soft butter
100 ml granulated sugar (90 g)
½ tsp salt 
2 tsp freshly ground cardamom 500 ml milk
50 g fresh yeast1400 ml all purpose flour (840 g)

 Filling
175 g soft butter100 ml granulated sugar (90 g)
2 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardamom, freshly ground1/4 tsp vanilla powder

 Egg wash
1 egg, lightly beaten
Pearl sugar, chopped almonds or granulated sugar
 Method    
1. Mix butter, sugar, salt and cardamom until smooth in a large bowl. 

2. Heat milk in a saucepan until approximately 37°C (98.5F), remove from heat and add sprinkled yeast. Stir until dissolved. When yeast is completely dissolved, add milk to butter mixture. 

3. Gradually add flour, then work until dough is smooth and elastic. Cover bowl with a cloth and leave to rise until doubled in size, about 45-60 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, mix the ingredients for the filling and set aside.

5. When dough is ready, divide it into two pieces. Start by rolling out the first piece of dough into a large rectangle, about 40x50 cm. Spread half of the filling on top. 

6. To make the shape pictured above, fold the dough two times (so you have three layers of dough, kind of like a business letter!).

7. Cut out long strips of dough (about 2 cm wide) which you then cut in half lengthwise, leaving the top part uncut (imagine holding up a pair of pants in front of you, that's what it should look like but with super long legs!)

8. Twist together into a knot and put on parchment paper.

9. Repeat steps 5-8 with remaining piece of dough.

10. Cover with a cloth and leave to rise for 30 minutes. 

11.  Heat oven to 250°C (480F). Brush with beaten egg. Sprinkle pearl sugar on top if desired. Bake for about 8-11 minutes, depending on the size of the buns.

Enjoy!!

::image source and recipe:: call me cupcake!