These decadent cardamom buns have a cinnamon-sugar and blueberry jam filling and topped with a vegan vanilla custard. Decorated with a Norwegian flag, they are perfect to serve and celebrate with on Norway's Constitution Day on May 17th!
1packet(2 ¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast or use 50 grams fresh yeast
1teaspoonground cardamom
½teaspoonsalt
2cups(5 dl) non-dairy milk like soy, almond or cashew milk
150grams(5 ¼ oz) non-dairy butter, cold and diced
For the cinnamon-sugar filling:
150grams(5 ¼ oz) vegan butter
2tablespoonsground cinnamon
150grams(¾ cups) brown sugar
For the blueberry and vanilla custard filling:
⅓cup(150 grams) blueberry jam
1recipe of my best vegan vanilla custard(recipe link above)
For the topping:
Pearl sugar for sprinkling on topoptional
Non-dairy milk for brushing the dough
Instructions
To make the dough:
Combine all the ingredients except the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and knead on medium speed for about 10 minutes. Add in the diced butter and knead for another 10 minutes until the dough releases from the edges of the bowl and is smooth and firm. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and rest until doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours.
To make the filling:
While the dough is rising, combine ingredients for the cinnamon-sugar filling in a small bowl and mix together with a fork until smooth.
Make the vanilla custard and let it cool in fridge until ready to use (this can be done several hours in advance or even the night before).
Measure out the blueberry jam.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 450℉ (225℃).
To shape the buns:
Tilt the risen dough onto a clean work surface dusted with flour, and roll out the dough with a rolling pin until you have a rectangle of about 24×20 inches (60x50cm). Spread the cinnamon-sugar filling on the surface evenly with an off-set spatula, leaving about 1-inch from the edges. Spread the blueberry jam on top. Fold the left (shorter) part of the dough in towards the middle, then bring the right part over the left (the dough is now folded in thirds).
Cut the dough vertically into 20-24 1-inch-long strips.
Starting from the end, gently wrap one strip around the tips of your index, middle and fourth finger like a bandage two times, letting the dough overlap and working cautiously so it doesn’t tear. It helps if your dough is cold here and warning.
Place your thumb on top of the wrapped dough, on the side closer to your wrist, to secure the shape, then loop the remaining end of the strand over and through the center of the bun, tucking it under at the base of the bun. You should have a rounded bun made out of bandage-like strips. The knotted part will be unexposed, hidden at the bottom. It can get a bit messy and some of the filling might spill a bit but I just scoop it back up and put it on top of each bun.
Place the pieces on the prepared baking sheet, brush with a little of the non-dairy milk and sprinkle with pearl sugar if you want. Bake in the oven, one tray at a time, on the middle rack for about 12 minutes until golden on top. Let cool on a rack for a few minutes before enjoying.