Cinnamon and Cardamon Swirl Bun Pops

(or other filling alternatives below)

There is nothing better than the smell of freshly baked cakes in the home, is there. You may know cinnamon and cardamon are two of the flavours loved in Scandinavian baking and these tasty little swirls are a great recipe to try with your children and will keep us in good spirits, whilst we are all staying at home. It is a classic recipe but you can change the filling to suit your tastes quite easily. Why not try chocolate and hazelnut spread, jam, just cinnamon or melted chocolate as a few different filling ideas. Please share your bakes with us on social media, we really would love to see what you have made.

These are so easy to make and if you do not have the little sticks to make into pops, you can have them as a bun instead.

cardamon swilr bun pop recipe swirl bun recipe scandinavian baking
Cardamon swirl bun pops from Scandilicious baking book. Photo by Tara Fisher

MAKES: 25-30

Dough

225 ml whole milk or semi skimmed 1 tsp cardamon ( if you are using)

75 g butter 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

300g refined spelt flour or plain flour 20g fresh yeast or 10 g fast action dried yeast

125 g wholemeal spelt or wheat flour 1 medium egg, beaten

70 g caster sugar

Filling

75 g butter softened 50g caster sugar

2 tsp cardamon ( if using) 1/2 tsp vanilla salt ( or try essence if you do not have this)

If you are not using cardamon then replace the filling with 125 g of any of these suggestions, such as melted chocolate, chocolate and nut spread, jam, for fruity or chocolate swirls instead, all will be super tasty.

To Finish

1 medium egg, beaten, demerara or natural sugar crystals to top.

To make:

If your making the lollipops, soak the wooden sticks in cold water first.

Scald the milk by heating it in a small pan with the butter until it is almost boiling and then allow it to cool while you assemble the other ingredients. Scalding the milk makes the finished bun – pops softer.

Sift all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, sprinkle the dried yeast in and stir through. If using fresh yeast, cream it with a teaspoon of sugar in a small bowl and once the liquid ( after 30 seconds), add to the dry ingredients.

Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients, add the beaten egg and then the milk – butter mixture, which should be warm rather than hot to touch, as otherwise you risk killing the yeast. Stir everything together until the mixture comes off the sides of the bowl and looks – for want of a better word- doughy ( it’ll be soft and slightly wet dough). Place the dough in a lightly oiled plastic bag or cover the bowl with lightly oiled cling film, and leave it to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.

While the dough is proving, make the filling by creaming the butter, sugar, cardamon and vanilla salt together. Oil two large baking sheets.

Divide the dough in half ( either by weighing or judging by eye) and roll out one piece on a lightly floured surface until it forms a rectangle about 25 cm x 15 cm ( keep the other half of the dough covered with a damp tea towel or lightly oiled cling film while you do this, so it doesn’t dry out). Spread half the filling evenly over the rectangle, starting from the middle and working outwards. If the buttery mix is a little cold, you cn use your hands to spread it, as the heat helps smooth the butter out. It is very satisfying to get stocky fingers too! Then, rolling from one of the longer edges of the rectangle, roll the dough into a long cylinder so it looks like an uncooked swiss roll, then seal the join at the end with a little water.

Use a sharp, non – serrated knife to cut the log in to 12- 15 even slices and lay them out flat. Staring at the join in the dough, push a wooden stick, if using them, in from the outer edge of each slice until it is about halfway through the swirl. Make sure the sticks are secure and then place the bun pops on the baking sheet.Cover with oiled cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for 20 – 30 minutes until they have doubled in size and an indentation stays put if you gently prod the dough with your finger. Repeat the rolling, filling, slicing and lollypopping process with the other half, whilst the first batch is proving. , then leave the second batch to prove on the baking sheet.

Pre heat the oven to: 200 C / 180 C fan or gas mark 6.

Glaze the first batch of bun – pops with beaten egg, sprinkle with the demerara sugar or crystals and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 12- 15 minutes until they are golden brown and sound hollow when you tap them from the base. Leave to cool on a wire rack while you bake the second batch( once they’ve finished proving).

Alternatively, you could bake them together on a baking sheet or inside a round baking tin to make a cake style swirl instead.

Serve by standing in a jug, jar glass or mug and enjoy!!

Recipe for cardamon swirl bun pops scandilicious baking, scandinavian baking ideas
Swirl Bun Pops from the Scandilicious baking Book. Photo by Tara Fisher

Swirl Bun Pops from the Scandilicious baking Book. Photo by Tara Fisher

If you want to share your bakes please do tag them #cloudberryliving on any of our social media platforms or send us an image and we will share them for you! Send your images to us at enquiries@cloudberryliving.co.uk

….. HAPPY BAKING …..