CINAMMON BUNS ("KANELBOLLER")

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There's nothing more cosy and Scandinavian than a cinammon bun, or "kanelboller" as we say in Norwegian. Having a sugary crust with a warm, soft and doughy (but not undercooked!) centre. The ingredients are simple, just have a little patience as your dough rises - and the wait will be worth it!

Quick tips

• Make sure to knead your dough for long enough, about 10 minutes using a machine or 15 minutes by hand. You want the dough to be smooth, you want the butter to be fully incorporated (i.e. not visible), and you want it to be stretchy enough to roll out and not spring back much.

• Let the dough rise for approximately 2-3 hours (exact timing depends on the temperature and humidity of the room). You want the buns to almost double in size when you proof it, and for the dough to spring back when you gently press it with your finger.

• When rolling out the dough, you want it to be approximately 3-5mm thick and in a rectangle double the length to width. There are several ways to roll up the buns (see below for recommendations).

• Remember to egg wash the buns before baking, and add the pearl sugar. Make sure to prep the sugar syrup whilst the buns are in the oven, and use a pastry brush to coat each bun in the syrup as soon as they come out the over (generously).

• You can either place the cinammon buns on a flat baking tray (spaced out) or in muffin cases in a muffin tray (this is great for making the buns rise upwards to get some height on them).

Ways of rolling your cinammon buns:

Spiral cinammon bun

• Spread the cinammon filling evenly across the whole dough rectangle.

• Roll the dough up (starting on the long end), and slice evenly in 2cm rounds.

• You can leave these rounds of rolled up dough as they are, spiral side up OR, you can get creative.

• I found this video fascinating and it sparked my own creativity on how to change up the. traditional spiral - https://www.instagram.com/reel/DHWQN1TqsM7/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=bWxhY2RubWh2aGc=

Knotted cinammon bun

• Spread the cinammon filling on half or the dough rectangle (starting from the shortest end) and fold the other side of dough over so you have a sandwich of dough with cinammon filling.

• Roll the dough out into a rectangle again (make sure to flour the surface) and cut into 1.5cm wide strips.

• Hold each strip of dough in the middle with your index finger and thumb.

• Hold onto the two ends with your other hand, and twist the folded strip of dough several time to make a twister.

• Keep twisting the strip until it naturally rolls into a knot shape, and tuck the end inside to neaten it up.