Swedish Cinnamon Knots / Kanelbullar

A long time ago I bookmarked the recipe for cinnamon rolls. Instead I tried this beautiful bread. Last week I finally decided to make the cinnamon rolls. I am very happy with the proportion of sugar in this recipe and will be making this one again.

My original plan was to make the cinnamon rolls. Then I saw this video and really liked what she did there. So I made knots instead of rolls. It does not change the taste just the presentation.

You will need (for 6 small buns)
2.75 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup milk
1 cup + 2 tbsp. flour
a pinch salt
1 1/2 tsp. yeast
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. cardamom powder

For the filling
2.5 tbsp. butter
2.5 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon powder

sugar pearls
milk to brush the top or use an egg diluted with a little water

In a large bowl melt the butter and the milk. Sift in the flour and salt. Add the yeast, sugar and the cardamom powder. Mix into a soft sticky dough. Work the dough kneading it until it is soft and elastic. Cover and keep aside until it doubles in volume, about an hour.

In the meantime, in a bowl soften the butter for the filling. In a separate bowl mix the sugar and cinnamon powder. Prepare a baking sheet and cover with parchment paper. Keep aside. When the dough has risen, transfer it on a floured flat surface. Light flour the rolling pin and roll out the dough to a large long rectangle.

Brush the dough with the butter. Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon powder mixture over the top.

Fold the rectangle along the long side in thirds. Fold the other side over the first. Press down a little, roll with a pin if needed.

Cut 2 - 2 1/2 inch portions along the length of the dough. I got six portions. Next cut a slit half way up in each of the portions as in the picture.

Work with one portion at a time. Gently tug the two legs of the dough while holding to the top. Start twisting them in opposite directions.

When you can twist no more fold them up to the top and tie them in a knot. Place the knot over the base. Move the bun to the baking sheet and repeat with the other five portions.

Cover with a tea towel and allow the buns to rise again for another 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 450 F while the buns are rising. Brush the top with milk or egg wash. Sprinkle sugar pearls and bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes. I did not have any sugar pearls so I skipped the step.

Enjoy!

Swedish Coffee Bread

17 years ago I met a group of fabulous gals online. Last month we decided to bake together once a month. Kneading Bakers emerged out of this thought. Every month we plan to bake the same dish. Our very first venture is Swedish Coffee Bread.

I had a lot of fun shaping this bread. I had never used a kitchen scissors on dough before. If I were to make this again I would probably go deeper with the cuts to have a very pronounced end result. But I am happy with this bread. I learnt a lot.

The dough was very sticky and my palm and fingers hurt kneading it. But the resultant bread as so soft it was a pleasure to munch on.

The dough is not very sweet, just the way I like it but the bread is super soft. This will be my stand by sweet bread dough recipe for the further.

For the dough
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp. cardamom powdered
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup milk, lukewarm
1/4 cup water, warm
1/2 oz. Fleischmann instant yeast (2 packets)
2 1/2 cup bread flour
1 cup all purpose flour

For the filling
2 tbsp. melted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon

3 tbsp. milk

In a large mixing bowl whisk together the butter, sugar, egg, cardamom and salt. Warm the milk and add it to the bowl.

Warm the water and dissolve the yeast in it. Whisk it into the contents of the bowl. Now add 2 cups of the flour and start forming a dough.

Add more dough as needed. The dough will be sticky. Continue to knead and add more flour as needed. I needed all 3 1/2 cups before the dough came together. Transfer the dough to a clean greased bowl.

Turn the dough around to coat with oil and keep it aside covered for an hour or two until it doubles in size.

Grease a baking sheet and keep aside. Mix all the ingredients for the filling and keep aside. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and roll into a large rectangle about 15 x 9.

Spread the filling on the rolled out dough up to a forth of an inch from the edges. In winter you may have to keep the filling warm to prevent the butter from solidifying. You could put it in the microwave for 5-10 seconds if the butter does solidify and you are unable to spread the filling.

Starting from one of the short ends start rolling the dough.

Roll all the way to the end to form a smooth long roll. If the thickness of the roll is uneven, use your fingers to even it out the best you can.

Seal the edges by pinching them together, like this.

Transfer it to the greased baking sheet with the edge on the bottom. Form into a ring and seal the two ends together.

Using a kitchen scissors cut into the ring about 2/3 of the way in. Do not be afraid to go deeper than what I have here. Just make sure you do not cut all the way to the end.

Go all around the circle making cuts every inch.

Now pick up one of the cut pieces and turn it upwards. 

Repeat all the way around going clockwise. When done cover with a greased sheet of plastic and allow to sit for about 45 minutes. The dough will rise again.

Meanwhile preheat the oven to 375 F. Warm 3 tbsp. of milk in a bowl and wash the surface of the bread with the milk using a pastry brush. You could use egg yolk wash but I do not like the egg smell so I use milk. Bake the bread for about 15-20 minutes.

Allow it to rest for 5 minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack.

Enjoy!