Do you know this feeling of everything getting into place? This is something I've been experiencing the last few days. Between studying, assignments deadlines and personal life, I started to lose my focus of what's important and how to enjoy everyday with a new adventure. Everyday is a day of new possibilities and can teach you different things.
I am sitting at a lovely cafe here in Zurich, where you can find busy business men, young students or entrepreneurs, bloggers like myself and people who have ideas and want to share them so badly. This is a day like this for me. Where I want to share my ideas and dreams with the outside world. Normally, I'm a very shy person, quiet and self-consious. You won't see me being the heart of the party, this is true. But when I have a strong opinion or feeling, I will fight my best fight in order to make this opinion as loud as possible.
I have been busy with everything in life and not very active here on the blog. Two weekends ago, I got to spend some quality time with my dad...in Paris! Oh, God, how I adore this city. Beautiful streets, great food, a french smell in the air, sexy language, fashion everywhere. Its my dream destination, a place where I could see myself live for a long time. I still have it in the back of my mind, that maybe one day I will rent an apartment there next to a bakery and a flower shop and get everyday baguettes and flowers. What a life goal, right?
Speaking of baguettes and baking, I had a creative moment the other day while I was studying for an exam. It's one of those moments when stress really fills me in an overwhelming way and I have to get it out of my system. This cathartic process led to the making of these cinnamon and cardamom knots. I don't remember if I have mentioned this before, but in 2011 I spent 3 (yeah three) whole months in Stockholm, where I was introduced to kanelbullar, aka cinnamon buns. It was love at first sight I have to say, as it is with every sweet baked good for me. There was no way I wan't going to recapture the magic and taste of these buns.
I won't lie. These beauties do take sometime to make. But the smell from all the spices you are going to use is just...amazing. Don't think about the effort, think about the pleasure you will get afterwards.
Swedish Cinnamon and Cardamom buns (recipe by The Scandi Kitchen)
ingredients
250ml whole milk, lukewarm
80gr melted butter, slightly cooled
400-500gr white flour
13gr dried yeast or 25gr fresh yeast
40gr sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cardamom
1 egg beaten
1 teaspoon salt
chopped or slivered almonds
for the filling
100gr butter softened at room temperature
50gr sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
for the syrup
1/4 cup honey
4 tablespoons water
How do I make it?
1. If you use dried yeast, pour the milk into a bowl and sprinkle yeast, whisking it at the same time slightly. Cover the bowl and leave for 1 minutes to become bubbly. If you use active yeast, then you don't have to let it get bubbly and after you put it inside the warm milk and have done the whisking you go straight to step two.
2. In a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook, pour into the milk with yeast and add the melted butter. Start mixing, allowing everything to combine, then add the sugar and continue to mix.
3. In another bowl shift 400gr of your flour and add the cinnamon, cardamom and salt together. Start adding the flour to the bowl of the mixer in small doses. Add half of the beaten egg and keep the other half on the side. Watch carefully your dough and add some flour (you may need the whole extra 100gr). For me, it was needed for the dough. The dough has to be sticky, not dry, but if you poke it then it shouldn't stick to your finger. The author says it's better to be more on the sticky side than on the dry one, because then when you bake the knots you won't get moist knots.
4. When you're finished, cover the bowl with a clean towel and let it rise double its size for about 1 hour.
5. Dust a clean surface with some flour, take out your dough and start kneading it, but not too much. It should be soft. Add more flour if needed. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a 40x50cm or 16x20 in rectangle.
6. Time to make the filling. Place the soft butter, sugar, vanilla extract and cinnamon in a bowl and mix really well. Use a spatula to spread the filling evenly on the dough surface. Then roll have of the dough on top of the other.
7. Use a knife or pizza cutter to cut 16 even strips of dough. Carefully take a strip and twist it a few times holding one end stable, then roll into a knot. You can see how the author makes the knots in this video. I found it very helpful to make the knots. Place each bun on the baking sheet of a big pan and once you're done with all of them, cover them with a towel and let them rise again for 30 minutes.
8. Preheat oven to 200 C. Brush each bun with the remaining beaten egg and bake them for 10 to 12 minutes. Be careful not to overbake them, they should be slightly golden brown. Take the pan out of the oven immediately once they're done and cover them with a damp clean towel to prevent dryness.
9. To make the syrup, heat in a saucepan the honey with the water. Brush each bun with the syrup and then cover with chopped almonds.
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