Every year on 4 October Swedes celebrate “Kanelbullens Dag” – Cinnamon Bun Day. An estimated 8 miljon buns are sold every year on this day and they will be served together with the traditional “fika” in offices, cake shops and in homes around Sweden.
Fika is often translated as “a coffee and cake break”, but much more than that. It’s an important part of Swedish culture where you make the time to share a cup of coffee (or tea) and a small cake with friends and colleagues.
While the tradition of Cinnamon Bun Day is not that old – it was invented in 1999 when Sweden’s Hembakningsrådet (‘Home Baking Council’) tried to think of ways to celebrate the organisation’s 40th anniversary – the actual bun has been a beloved pastry since the 1920s.
Why don’t you bake your own to celebrate Cinnamon Bun Day? Here is a yummy recipe provided by ToStockholm – your personal guide to the Swedish way of life.
KANELBULLAR
Dough
1 tbsp ground cardamam (kardemumma)
2 dl milk
1 dl cream (grädde)
50 g fresh yeast (jäst – red packet)
1 1/2 dl sugar
1/2 tsp salt
100 g butter (salted)
1 egg
approx. 11 dl flour
*
Crumble the yeast in a large bowl. Melt the butter and then add the milk, cream, cardamom, sugar and salt. Slowly pour the warm mixture (must not exceed 37°c) over the yeast, making sure the yeast dissolves. Mix in the egg.
Add half of the flour, mixing continuously – add some more flour while vigorously kneading the dough with a large spoon (or in a mixer). When the dough no longer sticks to the side of the bowl, it is ready. Cover it with a towel and leave it to rise in a warm and draft free area for 45-60 minutes.
Put the oven on at 200°c. Knead the dough on a flat surface with a little flour. Divide the dough in to 3 pieces. With a rolling pin roll out the dough into a rectangle (30x25cm). Add the filling of your choice.
Filling 1)*
100 g soft butter (salted)
1 ½ dl almond paste (mandelmassa)
1 dl sugar
1-2 tbsp cinnamon (kanel)
1 dl pearl sugar (pärlsocker)
1 egg
Mix together the soft butter and grated almond paste, spread evenly then sprinkle with some sugar and cinnamon
Filling 2)*
200 g soft butter (salted)
1 dl sugar
½-1 tbsp cinnamon (kanel)
½-1 tbsp cardamom (kardemumma)
Syrup and water, ½ tbsp cardamom/½ dl sugar mix
Spread some soft butter, sprinkle evenly over with some sugar, cinnamon and cardamom.
From the bottom up, roll together the rectangle. With a sharp knife cut the roll into 10 equal slices and place each slice in to a paper cupcake wrapper or straight on to a tray covered with baking paper. Cover with a towel and allow to rise for about 45-60 minutes.
When ready for the oven, brush the cinnamon rolls with egg wash. With filling 1 sprinkle with pearl sugar. Place in the middle of a preheated oven and bake for 7-10 minutes, or until done. With filling 2, once you have taken the buns out of the oven, brush with the syrup/water then straight away sprinkle with the cardamom/sugar mixture. Allow to cool on a rack.
Enjoy!