Kanelbullar

Instructions

1. 1 Warm the milk to body temperature and stir in the yeast and a pinch of sugar. Let it sit for five minutes until foamy. In a large bowl, combine the flour, remaining sugar, cardamom, and salt, then add the yeast mixture, softened butter, and egg.
2. 2 Mix the ingredients together, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead vigorously for ten minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and springs back when poked. It should feel slightly tacky but not stick to your hands.
3. 3 Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean towel or cling film, and let it rise in a warm draught-free spot for sixty to seventy-five minutes until it has doubled in size and feels light and pillowy.
4. 4 Prepare the filling by mixing the softened butter, sugar, and cinnamon together into a smooth paste. Punch down the risen dough and roll it out on a floured surface into a large rectangle about forty by thirty centimetres.
5. 5 Spread the cinnamon-sugar butter filling evenly across the entire surface of the dough rectangle, leaving a one-centimetre border along one long edge. Roll the dough up tightly from the opposite long edge into a firm log.
6. 6 Cut the log into twelve to fourteen equal pieces using a sharp knife or taut piece of thread. To shape traditional Swedish knots, roll each piece into a twenty-centimetre rope and tie it into a simple knot, tucking the ends underneath.
7. 7 Place the shaped buns on parchment-lined baking sheets with about five centimetres between each. Cover loosely and let them rise for thirty minutes until visibly puffed. Preheat the oven to two hundred and twenty degrees Celsius.
8. 8 Brush each bun generously with the egg wash and sprinkle pearl sugar over the tops. Bake for eight to ten minutes until golden brown on top but still soft when gently pressed. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.