Swedish Cinnamon Buns

Swedish Vetebröd recipe from cooking class 1999 during my year in Sweden

My morfar's parents owned a bakery in Siljansnäs, Sweden. Growing up, he assisted in baking and delivering the yummy baked goods. When I spent my sophomore year in Sweden, I took a cooking class AND spent time with my morfar, perfecting learning baking skills. Above is the recipe taken from Vår Kokbok with my notes and an additional "filling" recipe my friend Lillemor (a talented Swedish baker). She tipped me off on the filling years ago, and it makes the buns THAT much better. I promise!

Last week I decided to make Swedish Cinnamon Buns because I was hosting a ladies night AND I wanted to bring them to the Gordon College Women's Lacrosse Team (more on that in another post).

Rising dough... mmm...

This particular dough uses cardamom. Mmm... it makes the kitchen smell so delicious. I love it.

Rolling out the dough

Prepped for the filling.

Spreading the filling nice & THICK!

This is the filling I was referencing above. Special recipe from Lillemor the baker. :)

Sprinkling the cinnamon... it's always good to be generous

Note: The above is my first round of cinnamon... :)

Rolled and sliced, ready to rise.

Rising.

More cinnamon buns rising.

Into the oven.

More goodness into the oven

Outta the oven. YUM!

Swedish Cinnamon Buns

48 buns (love these, morning, noon, night & Christmas)

50 g yeast (5 tsp dry yeast)

2/3 cup – ¾ cup butter

2 cups milk

½ tsp salt

½ cup sugar

1 – 2 tsp cardamom

6 cups flour

Melt the butter in a pan on the stove; add the milk.

Warm it just enough (think baby’s bottle wrist check)

Add the yeast and use a whisk to thoroughly mix it (sometimes I mix the sugar in at the same time), remember, if it

In a separate large bowl combine, salt, sugar, cardamom, and most of the flour. Slowly add the butter mixture to the flour mixture and work it into a ball of dough. Let it rise for 30 minutes (or until it has doubled in size).

Take the ball of dough and split it in half. On a floured counter-top, roll one of the halves into a rectangle about ½ cm thick. Spread it with the filling (your choice) and roll it into a cylinder shape and slice into buns. Repeat with the other ball of dough.

Place the buns on a greased baking sheet and let them rise for 30 minutes. “Paint” the buns with a whisked egg and bake in the middle of the oven at 425 F for 5 – 8 minutes.

Filling

1.)  Spread butter onto the rectangle and then sprinkle cinnamon and sugar. If you like raisins, you can add raisins with the cinnamon and sugar.

2.)  Lillemor's Filling: For a creamier filling: Mix 1 cup powdered sugar, ½ cup butter, 1 egg yellow, and 1 tsp vanilla and spread on top of the dough. Sprinkle with cinnamon

*If you are someone who is nervous about baking with yeast, don't be! It's easier than you would think and if you have questions, please email me! I want you to try this Scandinavian Goodness that is listed and pictured above. And sometimes the yeast does die and your dough may be ruined... but it happens to the best of us. (maybe a story on that some other time)