🇸🇪 SwedenCatalog recipe
Cardamom-laced yeast dough rolled thin, brushed with spiced butter, twisted into little knots and finished with a snow of pearl sugar — the centerpiece of any Swedish fika.
For 12 servings.
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Warm the milk to just above body temperature and stir in the yeast; let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
Mix in the flour, half the sugar, a tablespoon of cardamom and a pinch of salt, then knead in half the butter until the dough turns smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
💡 The dough should be soft and slightly tacky, not stiff — a dry dough bakes into dense buns.
Cover and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 hour.
Beat the remaining butter with the remaining sugar, cardamom and cinnamon into a spreadable paste.
Roll the dough into a large rectangle, spread with the spiced butter edge to edge, then fold into thirds like a letter.
Slice into thin strips, twist each into a knot, and arrange on lined baking sheets with room to spread.
Cover and let the buns proof until puffy, about 30 minutes, then brush with egg wash and scatter pearl sugar over the top.
Bake at 220°C until deeply golden, 10–12 minutes, then cool on a rack.
Cardamom reached Sweden through medieval trade routes and settled permanently into the national baking repertoire, more central here than almost anywhere outside its native South Asia. The knotted shape is a twentieth-century Swedish invention, designed so the spiced filling stays visible in every twist. Fika — the daily coffee-and-pastry pause — is treated as part of the workday, not a break from it.
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