Kanelbullar (cinnamon rolls)

Swedish kanelbullar are more wholesome than the Canadian cinnamon buns I grew up with – smaller, more bready, less sticky and sickly-sweet.

I was surprised at how well the citrusy cardamom stood its ground against the cinnamon sugar. All in all, a very satisfying thing to eat.

The main challenge I had making them was cutting the rolled dough into pieces.

A sharp knife was a fail, warping the dough and filling oozing everywhere. The suggestion to use dental floss was a fiasco.

What worked best was very gently sawing through the dough with a serrated knife, then patting the buns back into shape on the baking tray.

The recipe is adapted from this one on the Swedish Food website.

For the dough:

For the filling:

For the topping:

In a saucepan over a medium flame, heat the milk and butter until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat and set aside.
When the mixture is lukewarm, stir in the egg.
In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, cardamom, sugar, salt and yeast.
Stir in the wet ingredients. Knead for about ten minutes, until you have a smooth dough.
Place in a clean, lightly buttered bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave to rise until doubled in size.
While the dough is rising, make the filling by mixing together the brown sugar, cinnamon and butter in a small bowl.
On a lightly floured surface, flatten the dough into a large rectangle (about 20x30cm).
Spread evenly with the filling. Starting from a long edge, roll the dough into a tight sausage.
Carefully cut into twelve even segments. Arrange on two baking trays lined with greaseproof paper, cover with tea towels, and leave to double in size (about 30-45 minutes).
Preheat the oven to 375°F (180°C). Brush the tops of the kanelbullar with beaten egg and sprinkle with pearl sugar.
Bake for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.