I love kanelbullar. We have the same in the US, cinnamon buns, but they aren’t as common (or delicious) as they are here. You can find kanelbullar everywhere, pre-packaged and fresh, frozen and ready to bake, in your grandmother’s pantry- everywhere! and it’s fabulous! If you haven’t already, check out the amazing cardamom buns at St. Jakobs bakery here in the center of Lund. and if ever in Gothenburg, I hear there’s a cafe that makes the world’s largest kanelbulle. In the past I’ve always thought baking bread and other things requiring yeast were too complex for me to execute, but now, with the desire for cheaper and fresher snacks that I can make however large I want (MWWWHAHAHAHA, crazy scary demonic laugh), I’ve started making kanelbullar very often. Good thing I walk everywhere- this lifestyle might give me diabetes or make me fat in the US. Try this recipe (and I’d recommend adding more spices than it calls for):
dough
75 g smör (butter)
7 1/2 dl vetemjöl (all-purpose flour)
1/2 dl strösocker (granulated sugar but also using brown sugar is nice too)
2 krm salt
25 g jäst (yeast)
2 1/2 dl mjölk (milk)
Fyllning (filling):
ca 50 g rumsvarmt smör
2 dl strösocker
1 msk kanel (cinnamon)
Garnering (topping/garnish):
1 uppvispat ägg
pärlsocker (literally, ”pearl sugar,” not common in the US… try butter mixed with granulated sugar??)
Skär smöret i tunna skivor och lägg det i en bunke. Tillsätt 7 dl av mjölet (spara 1/2 dl till utbakningen), socker, salt och jästen delad i mindre bitar. Värm mjölken till fingervärme, 37° C och rör ner den i mjölblandningen. Arbeta ihop degen tills den blir blank och smidig. Låt den jäsa under bakduk ca 30 min. Sätt ugnen på 225-250° C. Ta upp degen på mjölat bakbord och knåda den lätt. Kavla ut degen till en rektangulär platta, ca 25×50 cm. Bred ut smöret på degplattan. Strö över socker och kanel. Rulla ihop från långsida till långsida till en rulle. Skär rullen i 20 bitar, ca 2 cm breda. Ställ bitarna med snittytan upp i pappersformar. Jäs bullarna under bakduk ca 30 min. Pensla bullarna med ägg och strö över pärlsocker. Grädda mitt i ugnen 6–8 min. Låt bullarna svalna på galler under bakduk.
…and my slightly altered English version…
Mix the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast split into smaller pieces. Heat milk and butter to a lukewarm 37° C and stir into the flour mixture. Work the dough until it becomes shiny and smooth & let rise under a cloth for at least 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 225° C degrees. Make filling mix by heating to room temp lots of butter, spices, and sugar. Knead the dough lightly on a floured surface, then roll it into a rectangle, approximately 25×50 cm. Spread the filling mix on the dough. Roll up from long side to long side and cut into about 2 cm wide slices. Set slices cut side up on baking paper or non-stick pan. Let the buns rise under a cloth for about 30 minutes. Brush buns with egg and sprinkle with pearl sugar. Bake in the oven for 6-8 minutes. If your oven heats unevenly from the top as ours does, bake for a few minutes WITHOUT the egg and sugar topping THEN remove the buns from the oven and brush it on. Let the buns cool on a rack under a cloth. Serve warm with milk (very important according to the Swedes I know!!)
Another tip I’ve heard from friends but never do is to let the dough rise for the first time in the fridge overnight.
