Cinnamon & Cardamom Buns

click to enlarge

This is one of the recipes that I make with some regularity from my newest, most favourite cookbook- Falling Cloudberries by Tessa Kiros. They are lovely, light, and an absolute doddle to make- just allow enough time for a couple of rises (one longer, one quite brief). Although, when I think about it, they wouldn't suffer from a long, cold rise in the fridge overnight, to facilitate a lazy(ish) Sunday morning breakfast.

I think of them as an antidote to the Cinnabon, that most American of creations, which thoroughly compromises your health and well-being (670 calories/34 g fat!) while leaving your head pounding and your stomach convulsed. Even the standard home cook's version is a killer; I made cinnamon buns from Cook's Illustrated (May 2002) on Christmas morning, and while they came out well, they were just so sweet, so leaden, so altogether too much, that I didn't eat anything else until dinner.

Here, then, is my (well, Tessa's really) answer. The dough is incredibly gorgeous; its everyday yeasty goodness is augmented here with cardamom, which when teamed with cinnamon equals almost utter perfection in my book. A thin layer of butter and a light dusting of cinnamon sugar conspire not to ooze, but to enhance the finished buns with a coating of sweet promise. Finished with a bit of egg and a sprinkle of sugar, they bake for a short time before emerging from the oven to grace your table with their beautiful simplicity and outstanding flavour. They are best eaten straightaway, but may be kept briefly in an airtight container or frozen and thawed piecemeal when a craving sets in (as it most certainly will).

Cinnamon & Cardamom Buns
by Tessa Kiros

bun dough

250 ml (1 cup) TEPID MILK
100 g (3 1/2 oz.)CASTER (SUPERFINE) SUGAR
25 g (1 oz.) FRESH YEAST (OR 2 PACKETS ACTIVE DRY YEAST)
1 EGG, lightly beaten
125 g (4 1/2 oz.) BUTTER, softened
2 tsp. GROUND CARDAMOM
1 tsp. SALT
650 g (5 1/4 cups) CAKE FLOUR OR PLAIN (ALL-PURPOSE) FLOUR

cinnamon butter

2 tsp. GROUND CINNAMON
50 g (1 3/4 oz.) CASTER (SUPERFINE) SUGAR, PLUS 1 TBSP.  for sprinkling
80 g (2 3/4 oz.) BUTTER, softened
1 egg, lightly beaten

Put the milk and sugar in a bowl and crumble in the yeast. Leave for 10 minutes, or until the yeast begins to activate. Add the egg, butter, cardamom and salt and mix in. Add the flour, bit by bit, mixing it in with a wooden spoon until you need to use your hands, and then turn it out onto the work surface to knead. It may seem a little too sticky initially, but will become compact and beautifully soft after about 5 minutes. Put the dough back in the bowl, cover with a clean cloth and then a heavy towel or blanket, and leave in a warm place for about 2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.

To make the cinnamon butter, mix together the cinnamon and sugar. Divide the butter into four  portions and keep on one side.

Put the dough on a floured work surface and divide it into four portions. Begin with one portion, covering the others with a cloth so they don't dry out.  Using a rolling pin, roll out a rectangle, roughly about 30 x 25 cm (12 x 10 inches) and 2-3 mm (1/8 inch) thick. Spread one portion of butter over the surface of the dough with a palette knife or blunt knife. Sprinkle with about 3 teaspoons of the cinnamon mix, covering the whole surface with quick shaking movements of your wrists. Roll up to make a long dough sausage. Set aside while you finish rolling out and buttering the rest of the dough, so that you can cut them all together.

Line two large baking trays with baking paper, or bake in two lots if you only have one tray.  Line up the dough sausages in front of you and cut them slightly on the diagonal, alternating up and down, so that the slices are fat 'v' shapes, with the point of the 'v' about 2 cm (3/4 inch) and the base about 5 cm (2 inches). Turn them so they are all the right way up, sitting on their fatter bases. Press down on the top of each one with two fingers until you think  you will almost go through to your work surface. Along the sides you will see the cinnamon stripes oozing outwards. Put the buns on the baking trays, leaving space for them to puff and rise while they bake. Brush lightly with beaten egg and sprinkle a little sugar over the top.

Leave the buns to rise for half an hour and preheat your oven to 180C (350F/Gas 4). Bake them for about 20 minutes, or until they are golden. Check that they are lightly golden underneath as well before you take them out of the oven. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature and, when they are cool, keep them in an airtight container so they don't harden.

Makes about 35 buns.

Recipe reprinted with kind permission from Murdoch Books.

Comments

[Steven Pearce]

Great blog, great recipe! The ingredients are on tomorrow's shopping list!

[ejm]

Wow! What a great idea to add cardamom! And those buns look stunning. Granted, I haven't made cinnamon buns all that often but I've never got them to look like that! I'm going to have to try that triangle method. I usually roll them jelly roll style and cut them into discs (with dental floss).

Yours is a beautiful looking blog, by the way.

[Viv]

Ahh, cardamon! Only one of my favorite spices in the whole wide world. What lovely buns those are!

[Moira]

Hello Steven,

Thanks so much! Please stop back and let me know how you get on with the buns.

Hi ejm,

My thanks also to you for your kind words. I love the way the buns look as well! I never would have thought of cutting them that way on my own, and it's really just a perfect technique.

Cheers,

[Moira]

Thanks for popping by, Viv! I never had cardamom until I was an adult, and I feel like my taste buds changed for good after that first taste-- it is heavenly.

Cheers,

[Alice]

My Goodness! Those are the most gorgeous buns! And, I really love that blue serving piece they are sitting on...I swear, I like to come to your site as much for the pictures of food, as the pictures of wonderful kitchen ware you have! :) I need to get a scale first (something I've wanted for awhile now), but when I do, these will have to be among the first things I try.

[Alice]

P.s. I'm wondering how you got permission to reprint the recipe from Murdoch Books...did you just email and ask permission? I never thought of doing that, but it's definitely a good idea.

[ZarahMaria]

Yummy! I just made cinnamon buns too - I do like mine VERY gooey, but this recipe sounds nice - guess one could always up the cinnamon butter mixture if one needed to... I'm such a butter pig! Gorgeous pictures!

[Angela]

I've made this recipe too, but for me there was something missing. Not sure what.... I did love the addition of cardamon, so I'll be using plenty of that in my regular cinnamon bun recipe. Wonderful pictures!

[rowena]

I am so envious that you can find ground cardamom! You know, I think if italian cooks would just explore more of the spice world, maybe then I could more easily find these wonderful spices at the market.

Still, this recipe will need some looking into (I could just grind the cardamom pods couldn't I?). My husband's colleagues are beginning to look forward to the days that I send him off to work with homebaked goodies that they've never tasted before. I am certain that THIS recipe will be a hit. Just perfect with an afternoon pick-up of espresso.

[celiaK]

hi Moira, like you what I don't like with Cinnabon is that it's too sweet. Really, really sweet. This recipe sounds and looks great. Might try it one time if I still know how to make dough rise. ;)

[Dawn]

Moira, thank you for posting this fabulous recipe! I can't wait to try it. Your pictures of the buns are so great amazingly detailed that I can practically smell them!

[Moira]

Hello Alice,

I'm so pleased you like the photos! I do enjoy picking out the right dish or cloth for each item I'm shooting, and it's nice that you took notice!

I think of a scale as an essential tool in the kitchen, especially with baking. I have a digital model and I love it.

There was a number listed in the cookbook for the publisher. I left a message, got a callback *very* quickly, explained who I was and where I wanted to reprint the recipe, and was given permission immediately. It was really easy!

Hi Zarah,

Maybe you could just try incorporating cardamom into the dough you make already- that way you could still have all the butter piggy qualities you like (bwaaahaaahaaa- that is *very* funny) and the flavour of the cardamom, too. Let me know if you try it!

Hello Angela,

I think that's a great idea, and one that would really benefit any cinnamon buns (like Zarah's butter piggy ones- see above comment). I'm glad you like the photos!

Hi Rowena,

You'd need to open the pods up and grind the seeds that are inside. Make sure you do it *right* before you need it, otherwise their flavour will diminish. I'm happy to send you a care package of ground cardamom if you like- it would probably get to you in a day or two.

Hi Celia,

I think you'd really like these then! I don't think you'll have too hard a time with the dough.;-)

Hello Ms. Dawn,

I'm so glad you like the photos! Please let me know what you think of them after you give the recipe a try...

Cheers to all,

[ejm]

Cardamom is one of my favourite spices as well. Have you tried it in coffee? It's WONDERFUL.

Rowena, we get our cardamom from an Indian spice store (much cheaper and fresher thanfrom the regular grocer). Is there possibly an Indian store near you? And I believe that cardamom is also featured in Turkish cuisine and possibly North Africa as well (Morocco??).

[Bakerina]

Ahhhh, Moira, this is exactly the kind of bun I love to make, and really love to eat. I'm a cardamom fan, too, and I loathe those bellybuster Cinnabons. Just looking at them, I can tell that they are delicate, subtle and deep all at once. I can't wait to try them. And your photo, as always, is stunning. Such an eye you have.

[Reid]

Hi Moira,

These buns look smashing! (hehe) You've amassed a whole legion of fans in such a short time. You're definitely doing a lot of things right. As always, the pictures are wonderful. I think I'm going to try these. =P

[rowena]

Ohhh..you're a sweetheart! Thanks for the lovely offer! But I think that I may have found a source for ground cardamom....there's a little shop called Equo Solidale that sells products/spices/whatnot from smaller countries. I actually found mustard seeds there and I'm positive that they have cardamom. I'll check it out this weekend!

[Moira]

Hello Ms. Bakerina,

Thank you so much! I do hope that you give them a try- they're really just so lovely. Please let me know what you think!

Hi Reid,

Well, I don't know about a legion , but I have had quite a few really nice people come by and give me fantastic feedback, which feels incredible. Since you inspired me to start a blog in the first place, I think you'll always be a part of any success I have here. Thanks Reid!

Please let me know if you try the buns, especially if you give them an island twist.

Hi Rowena,

I'm glad you've got a lead- let me know if it doesn't pan out and I can still send you some in the post.

Cheers to all,

[Cat]

I have to tell you how much I like your site! Beautiful photography and words! I must go and make some cinnamon buns myself!
Cheers-
Cat

[Moira]

Hi Cat,

Thank you so very much! Yes, you must go and make these buns immediately- they're that good.

Cheers,

[Kimberly]

Oh, Moira, these are gorgeous! And I love cardamom. I'll have to give them a try as well.

[Julie]

Moira, what inspiring photos...and what an absolutely artful blog. I do mean to try these buns -- I've often enjoyed gooey buttery buns like Zarah, but these look as if their simplicity could convert even a butter junkie to a "less is more" philosophy. As a new food blogger, I'm highly appreciative of all the "motivational nourishment" I get from the true artists in this community...

Thanks!

[Anne]

Hi! Oh, thank you for this recipe! I made them yesterday and they turned out great! I overcooked them just slightly - but that's allright. Some of them also unfurled a little - I need to press more firmly next time. I love them though - it's a lot less fat than my usual recipe, but still lots of flavor. I'll definitely repeat it!

[Moira]

Hi Kimberly,

I'm so glad you you want to give them a try! Please let me know what you think!

Hello Julie,

Oh, my- thank you so much! I'm sure Zarah's buns are wonderful, too (uh, oh...that didn't exactly sound right- lol), but you'll have to give these a shot and see what you think. Thanks for stopping by!

Hi Anne,

I'm so happy that you like them! You definitely have to press down really firmly to get them to stay put- practice makes perfect (lol)!

Cheers to all,

[Jessica]

Wow Moira, these look great!