A Different Kind of Bun

Never having been as enamored with sticky buns as my culinary collaborator, I decided to take on the long neglected task of perfecting the similar and yet decidedly unique cinnamon bun. First, however I feel it necessary to clarify some terms here; forgive me, I’m an academic. I tend to think that the true difference between a sticky bun and a cinnamon bun is that the former is baked in a caramel-like sauce often containing nuts and always making the bun appropriately sticky. The cinnamon bun, on the other hand, is baked plain and then topped with a royal icing type glaze post-oven. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good sticky bun every once in a while (and the ones Rachel mentioned previously are truly delicious), but I’ve always been partial to the simplicity and spicy goodness of the plain cinnamon bun.

Having said all this, I’m about to contradict myself as the cinnamon bun recipe I’ve been creating contains no cinnamon whatsoever. Madness, I know. My version takes advantage of the deeply aromatic, enticingly spicy, citrus-like flavor of cardamom. This little burst of gastronomic creativity actually stems from a very traditional recipe for a Finnish bread called pulla. Being of Finnish ancestry myself and therefore having an affinity for the oft-neglected Nordic cuisines, I’ve been making pulla and other Scandinavian baked goods for a while. Beatrice Ojakangas, a wonderful Finnish cook who has published many lovely cookbooks on the subject, has an absolutely delicious pulla recipe that I make often. It was only recently, however, that it occurred to me that the pulla dough would make a great base for a revamped cinnamon bun. This is because pulla is a rich, buttery and eggy dough, similar to brioche. The genius of the bread lies in the fact that it contains crushed cardamom seeds, a very popular spice in Scandinavia, giving the dough a lightly perfumed scent that subtly detracts from its richness. Hence, filling these newly minted Cardamom Buns with a mixture of brown sugar, cardamom and a hint of allspice (just to give the filling a slightly headier spiciness that the cardamom alone could not do) makes the resulting baked good at once light and rich. Unlike its heavy cinnamon bun counterpart, these buns are undeniably decadent and yet they don’t require the diner to take a nap after consumption. They are so good you may need to have two, and now you can.

Cardamom Buns
Adapted from Beatrice Ojakangas's Pulla in Baking with Julia

I’ve left the original recipe for the bread generally the same with only a few small tweaks. The main deviation comes in the forming of the dough and, obviously, the spicy sugar filling which the original bread does not have. The quantities given are enough to make eight buns, which requires half of the dough. You could easily double the filling and icing amounts in order to make sixteen buns, using the entire dough recipe. However, I suggest you use the other dough half to make the Pulla as originally intended, simply glazed with egg wash and sprinkled with pearl sugar. Its truly not to be missed.



It really is best to use freshly ground cardamom for this recipe as the pre-ground stuff found in supermarkets simply does not have the same flavor or aroma. I crack open the pods and then use a mortar and pestle to grind the seeds to a fairly fine powder. If you have a spice grinder, however, feel free to use that.



This dough can be made in a standing mixer using the dough hook but I prefer to work by hand. I find it much more fulfilling.



I like to let my yeast dough rise right on top of a warm oven but if your kitchen is particularly dry, drafty or cold you could also rise right in the oven. Just make sure that its off, lest the dough bake before it should. You can also place a pan of boiling water in the bottom of the oven, making it an appropriately humid environment. The dough will rise in no time.

the dough

1 cup milk
1 TBSP active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (about 105-115 degrees Fahrenheit)
1/2 cup sugar
1 TSP crushed cardamom seeds
1 TSP salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten at room temp
4 1/2 to 5 cups AP Flour
1 stick butter, melted

the filling

1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 TSP crushed cardamom seeds
1/8 TSP ground allspice
4 TBSP butter, melted

the glaze

3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 1/2 TSP milk
1 1/2 TSP melted butter
1/2 TSP pure vanilla extract
pinch ground cardamom

Put the milk in a small saucepan and scald it (heat until a small ring of bubbles forms along the edge of the pan). Remove the pan from the heat and let cool until it is 105 to 115 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix the yeast into the warm water and let stand until the yeast is dissolved and the mixtures looks creamy. Whisk in the milk, sugar, cardamom, salt and eggs. Using a wooden spoon, mix in 2 cups of flour and beat until smooth. Beat in the butter and add the additional flour, 1/2 cup at a time until the dough is stiff but not dry. Depending on the day, you may not need all the flour. Let the dough rest 15 minutes, covered with plastic wrap.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for approximately 10 minutes. The dough will be smooth and lose most of its stickiness. Do not add too much bench flour or the dough will become to dry.

Shape the dough into a smooth ball and place in a lightly greased bowl, turning the dough to ensure the dough's top is oiled as well. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and a warm, damp kitchen towel and let rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk. This can take anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours depending on the day and the dough.

Combine brown sugar, cardamom, and allspice in a small bowl. Brush an 8 inch cake pan with a little of the melted butter. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper if you plan on baking the pulla dough braid.*

Turn the dough onto a clean surface and lightly knead it to redistributes the air bubbles. If the dough sticks you can either lightly oil or flour the work surface. Divide the dough in half. Place one half of dough back in the oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap to rest while you form the buns.

Roll out dough half to an approximately 16 x 10 inch rectangle. Brush with the remaining melted butter leaving a small (about 1/2 inch) section at the top of the dough unbuttered. Sprinkle buttered area with sugar spice mixture and lightly pat down to ensure the coat is even and does not fall out during rolling. Starting at the bottom (this is the long end) tightly roll the dough and pinch the unbuttered end closed, making a fairly tight seal. Place the roll seam side down and using a long serrated knife, cut the roll into 8 equal pieces. Place buns in buttered pan; they won't touch. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and let rise until puffy and touching, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until nicely browned and puffed. If the tops brown too quickly decrease the heat to 350. Let cool several minutes on a cooling rack before unmolding.

Combine icing ingredients in a small bowl until smooth. Liberally pour over the warm buns. Serve immediately.

* To make the Pulla braid take the other half of the dough and divide into three equal portions. Using you hands, roll each third into a rope approximately 18 inches long. Braid the three strands, pinching the ends and tucking them under to ensure the braid does not come apart when rising. Place braid on the parchment lined baking sheet and cover with a dry kitchen towel. Let rise at room temp until it is puffy but not doubled, about 45 minutes.

Glaze the braid with egg wash made from one egg beaten with 1 TBSP of milk. Sprinkle with pearl sugar. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes until golden. Cool on a cooling rack. Serve at room temperature.

The Buns

The Pulla

-Rachel L.