Cinnamon Swirl Cardamom Buns

The festive season has, like always, crept upon us. And with the steady flow of events, catch ups and plans that without a doubt fill our diaries this busy time of year, it’s easy to lose track of time. Year after year I find myself wondering where November and December disappeared to. There’s always plenty of photos to remind me of these fun filled times, but unwittingly, with this flurry of plans, of course comes the stress! The stress of fitting everything in; gift-buying, Christmas get-togethers and finding the time to  still live your life all the same. It can all get overwhelming. Though my biggest stress I find myself in is finding the time to research all the delicious festive treats I want to bake and then actually baking them. Having said that, it’s also my FAVOURITE thing to do to get festive, and somehow de-stresses me. Yep, I stress about finding time to de-stress, but I’m sure you can relate!? I think the important thing is to not get caught up on the negative side of it all. I’ve just accepted Christmas time is supposed to be that little bit crazy and try to embrace it, because the things that bring the stress are also what makes it such an awesome time of year. An awesome time of year, filled with all of my favourites… friends, family and food!

I dedicated a whole slow Sunday to making these buns. It was bliss, and the perfect reminder to slow down and take in the little pleasures of the holiday season, like the lingering smell of cinnamon throughout the house as these babies baked to perfection.

Of course, they don’t take a whole day to make, but it’s nice to be able to take your time. I was able to enjoy the art of baking with no time pressure, and the excitement of whipping out my newly created prop board from Dad – how awesome does it look! I also had fun researching these ones, and got little bits of inspiration and bun-shaping tips from many of my much loved cooks and their beautiful, mouth-watering photos and recipes. Be sure to check them out for your own inspiration…

Jamie Oliver’s Sexy Swedish Buns
Izy Hossack aka Top with Cinnamon’s Beautiful Vegan Swedish Cinnamon Buns
Green Kitchen Stories’ Hazelnut, Apple & Chocolate Buns
Cashew Kitchen’s Swedish Cardamom Buns

Cinnamon Swirl Cardamom Buns
Makes 15-20

Cardamom Buns
1 sachet of instant yeast (7 g/2.5 tsp)
1 tsp crushed cardamom seeds (or ground cardamom)
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 cup soy milk
70g salted butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
3 cups, plus extra for dusting, white spelt flour (sieved & organic for low FODMAP)

Cinnamon Butter Filling
3 tbsp maple syrup
50g salted butter
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp crushed cardamom seeds (or ground cardamom)

Egg wash (1 beaten egg)
1 tbsp crushed macadamias

Finely crush cardamom seeds in a mortar and pestle, add to a large bowl with salt and yeast. Gently melt butter with milk and maple syrup to a lukewarm temperature, then pour over the yeast and stir to dissolve. Sift most of the flour in and mix to form a dough. Continue to add the rest of the flour and knead until soft and no longer sticky. Cover bowl with glad wrap and a blanket and place in a warm place to rest for an hour.

Once the dough is ready, place the filling ingredients in a small bowl and heat until just melted, then set aside. Roll and stretch the dough on well floured surface into a large square (40x40cm) about 1/2 cm thick. Evenly spread cooled cinnamon butter across the surface of the dough. Fold the dough into overlapping thirds (40x15cm). With a sharp knife cut the dough into 2-3cm long strips. Carefully picking up one strip at a time, stretch the strip, twist at the same time about 3 times, and tie into a loose knot shape bun.

Place the buns on tray lined with baking paper, cover with a clean towel and rest for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 220°C and after the buns have rested, brush each with egg wash and sprinkle with crushed macadamias. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden.

Enjoy!

Low FODMAP | wheat free | fructose friendly | low lactose | sugar free