Swedish Cinnamon-Cardamom Bread

Swedish Cardamom Bread

This recipe is the type of recipe that when I make, I think, I should make this everyday. Life would be a lot happier if I had this to look forward to in the morning or afternoon. Or evening. But, as it happens, I don’t make it everyday, and when I do make it, I’m lucky to get one slice, before all the kids, and darling friends of kids, quickly grab as much as they can.

This recipe is similar to a cinnamon roll, but you don’t cut the individual rolls, making the prep time a little bit faster, and the presentation much different. I love how the shaping of it encourages everyone to tear a handful and just eat! This recipe comes from the Jan. 2015 Saveur.

Swedish Cinnamon-Cardamom Bread
For the dough

7 T. unsalted butter

1 ¹⁄₂ c. whole milk, heated to 115°

2 t. active dry yeast

4 ¹⁄₂ c. flour, plus more for dusting

¹⁄₄ c. sugar

1 ¹⁄₂ t. cardamom seeds, lightly crushed (or ground cardamom)

¹⁄₄ t. kosher salt

For the filling

¹⁄₂c. granulated sugar

7 T. unsalted butter, softened

1 T. ground cinnamon

1 ¹⁄₂t. cardamom seeds, finely crushed (or ground cardamom)

1 egg, beaten

Pearl sugar, for topping

Make the dough:

Melt butter in a 1-qt. saucepan over medium. Remove from heat and stir in milk and yeast; let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Whisk flour, sugar, cardamom, and salt in a bowl. Stir in yeast mixture until dough forms. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 3 minutes. Return dough to bowl and cover with a clean dish towel; let sit in a warm place until dough is doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Make the filling:

Mix granulated sugar, butter, cinnamon, and cardamom in a bowl until smooth.

Assemble the bread:

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into an 11″ x 17″ rectangle, about ¹⁄₄″ thick. Spread filling over dough, leaving a ¹⁄₂″ border along edges. [I’ve found it works better to divide the dough into two and make two separate loaves. They fit on an baking sheet better. They spread quite a bit in baking!] Working from one long end, roll dough into a tight cylinder; transfer seam side down to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cover with dish towel; let sit in a warm place until dough has doubled in size once more, about 45 minutes.

Bake the bread:

Heat oven to 375°. Using kitchen shears and starting 1″ from ends of dough, make crosswise cuts, spaced 1″ apart, three-quarters of the way through dough. Fan dough slices away from the center, alternating left to right. Brush dough with egg and sprinkle with pearl sugar; bake until golden brown, about 22 minutes. Let bread cool completely before serving.