Chocolate cardamom buns (choklad kardemummabullar)
*Video process of this recipe can be found on Instagram!
Swedish baked goods are a slice of heaven. I told myself I was only going to have one of these babies when they popped out of the oven, but before I knew it I blacked out and had slammed two in record time. Most start with the same basic dough base that’s slightly sweet with a hint of cardamom. It’s the slightly sweet angle that does it for me - you can layer in other flavors and it never feels like too much!
These chocolate cardamom buns are no exception. The fragrant, warm, aromatic taste of cardamom comes together with the sweet, nutty flavor of chocolate and makes for the perfect baked good. Swedes love to take part in “fika” or an afternoon tea/coffee break, and it’s always paired with a sweet treat. Whether you make this for breakfast, a snack, or a “fika” break - you are guaranteed to love them.
I’ve made so many Swedish buns in my life, but I always anchor to the Sweet Wheat Bun Dough recipe from Magnus Nilsson’s “The Nordic Baking Book”. My recipe is adapted from his in that I add a spin with a chocolate filling, but let’s leave the baking recipes to the pros right?
Sweet Wheat Bun Dough from “Nordic Baking Book” - makes 25-30 buns
150 grams/5 oz (1 stick plus 2.5 tablespoons) butter
500 ml/17 fl oz (2 cups plus 2 tablespoons milk)
50 grams/2 oz fresh yeast (I use one serving of instant yeast - 2 1/4 teaspoons for this batch)
90 grams or 1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons freshly ground cardamom (you can buy the seeds and grind in a coffee grinder, but store bought will work too)
800 grams or 5 3/4 cups wheat flour (can also use bread flour)
Swedish pearl sugar (found on Amazon)
Marabou Chocolate Filling + Cardamom Simple Syrup Ingredients
400 grams chocolate (I used Marabou Milk Chocolate from Sweden, but you can use any variety you’d like)
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons cardamom
Instructions
Melt the butter in a pan, add the milk, and slowly heat to about 98 degrees. It’s very important you test the temperature of your mixture before adding the yeast, or you may kill the yeast! I love this digital thermometer.
Dissolve the yeast into the mixture in the base of a kitchen aid mixer fitted with a dough hook.
Add the salt, sugar, cardamom, and flour mixture 1/2 c at a time, incorporating with the mixer between each batch
Kneed for 6-10 minutes or until the dough is elastic and comes off the sides of the bowl
Proof for 30-40 minutes in a warm area covered with a towel
While the dough is proofing, melt 200 grams of chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave in 15-second increments until smooth and creamy
Combine with the 1/2 cup of softened butter and set aside 10-15 minutes until slightly cooled
Combine 1/2 c water 1/2 c sugar and 2 teaspoons of cardamom in a saucepan and heat until dissolved. Pour into another vessel and let cool.
Chop 200 grams of chocolate into fine/medium-sized chunks and set aside
Once the dough has doubled in size, drop it onto a floured surface and roll it into a rectangle of 40 x 60 centimeters
With the longest portion of the dough facing away from you, spread the melted butter and chocolate mixture across the bottom half of the dough, reach to the top, and fold the top so that it meets the bottom. Press gently on top of the dough to combine everything together
Lightly roll the dough out each direction for another 1-2 inches
Using a knife or a pasta cutter, measure 3/4 inch segments across the bottom of the dough and slice into individual strips - you should get between 25-30 strips
To twist the buns, watch this simple video tutorial and watch my Instagram reel - don’t worry if they don’t look perfect - they WILL taste amazing! Twist each knot one by one and set on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet as you go.
Once you’ve twisted all of the knots, cover and let rise for an additional 30-60 minutes covered with a towel in a warm area until they’ve doubled in size
When ready, preheat the oven to 220 degrees C or 425 degrees F and bake the buns (in batches, if needed) for 10 minutes. They may seem like they’re not cooked, but they will be! These do not always get super golden brown.
Once you pull from the oven, move to a cooling rack and brush with the cardamom simple syrup and sprinkle with Swedish pearl sugar - you can find it on Amazon and it makes for a cute presentation and perfect crunch
These buns are best eaten the same day but can withstand another day or so if they’re sealed in an airtight container.
Enjoy! 🍓
