When my husband and I got engaged 6 years ago, I was determined to learn how to make a lot of the dishes that are part of his heritage— in his case Norwegian. But as I started to do that, I became intrigued with the foods and dishes that are part of the cultures and countries that make up Scandinavia. I have a long ways to go, but I’ve enjoyed learning so much. I have tons of cookbooks and it’s been a pleasure to learn to make those dishes. One of my favorite recipes to make, especially when the weather starts getting colder, is ‘kanelbullar’.

Kanelbullar is a Swedish cinnamon roll that is not only delicious but, oh, so forgiving when making them. I prefer these to actual cinnamon rolls. I am not a big fan of icing on cinnamon rolls, so this version is more appealing to me. Instead we added sugar pearls for a more decorative touch. Also, the cardamom in this recipe gives it a spectacular flavor. The texture is different— more like a morning roll than a cinnamon roll— but again, I love it. Exploring and baking dishes that are completely different than those of my Puerto Rican cuisine, is such a fun part of cooking and baking, isn’t it?

I have tried a few recipes for kanelbullar, and I have incorporated bits and pieces, to make one that combines all the aspects that I want. Below is the recipe I used.

Kanelbullar (Swedish Cinnamon Buns)

Ingredients

Dough:

1 cup milk, warmed (to about 110F)

2 tsp active dry yeast

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour ( I start with 3 cups and use the other 1/2 if the dough is too wet)

1/3 cup butter, softened

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1 1/2 tsp ground cardamom

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp sea salt

Filling

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 Tbsp cinnamon

Additional Ingredients

• 1 egg

• 1 tablespoon water

• pearled sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Put the milk into a large bowl and sprinkle the yeast overtop. Let stand for 5 minutes, until it’s foamy.

2. In a large bowl combine 3 cups of the flour, butter, sugar, egg, cardamom, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Stir until the dough comes together. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, adding more flour as needed (see my notes on dough ingredients). Dough should be tacky but not sticky. .Shape into a ball and place it back in the bowl, cover with a tea towel and let stand in a warm place until the dough has doubled(about 2 hours). Note: I prefer to knead by hand but you can also use an electric mixer with a dough hook attachment.

3. Once ready, divide the dough in workable halves. On a floured surface roll each piece out into a rectangle (9x12 inches). In a separate bowl combine the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. The spread half of the mixture over each piece of rolled dough.

4. Fold each piece up in equal thirds (I used the letter technique). You may want to roll again to stretch it a bit more.

5. With a pizza cutter, cut strips of the dough lengthwise. Twist each strip and shape. Jamie Oliver has a wonderful video sequence showing how to shape the cinnamon buns. Video HERE.

6. Place each rolled bun on baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Then brush with the egg wash (1 beaten egg mixed with 1 tbsp of water) and sprinkle with pearl sugar.

7. I like to do a second rising in a warm place for about 45 mins. It makes a difference and makes them more airy. Bake in a preheated oven at 350F for 15-20 minutes, until golden.

8. Enjoy!

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