Swedes are well known for their “fika”, there is even a coffee shop in New York named Fika (I heard from others that the only Swedish thing there was the foto wallpaper with a view over Stockholm. The coffee tasted like any other American coffee and the cinnamon roll was big and dry. Why would I want to go there when I can find a Starbucks in every other corner). 😉
Any way, Swedes are very fond of buns and rolls filled with cinnamon, vanilla, pistachio, apples….
It is very traditional and common to have some kind of bun when you invite someone for a cup of coffee “fika”, and you can find them in every bakery and coffee shop in Sweden (they even sell them in gas stations).
With this recipe you can bake your own delicious cinnamon buns (or rolls if you want that).
100-150 g melted butter (warm)
5 dl milk (full-cream)
50 g yeast (if dry yeast is used it has to correspond with 50g fresh)
1 dl sugar
1,5 tsp vanilla sugar
0,5 tsp salt
1-1,3 dl wheatflour
Add the milk to the butter and then let the yeast dissolve, mix everything but the salt and 4 dl of the flour. (Beat the dough for about 10 min. Add flour until the dough feels good and releases from the bowl a bit). Add the salt, work the dough for about a minute. Allow the dough to rise for 45-60 min.
Pour the dough onto a table (with some flour on), divide it into two halves). Flatten one half at a time and spread soft butter on it. Sprinkle sugar, cinnamon and vanilla sugar over (make sure it is covered).
If you want to make rolls just roll it up like a Swiss roll and cut pieces about three cm thick. Place them in paper cups (you can also put them on a bakning tray but they will be flatter and bigger then).
If you want buns just fold the dough once and then cut slices about three cm thick, cut each slice again but not all the way up so that it lookes a bit like a pair of pants. Twirl the two “legs” around eachother and then swing the bun together a bit like a knot. (Practise makes perfect).
Let them rise 40 min., brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with some sugar (big crystals).
Bake approx. 5-8 min. until dark golden brown, in 250 Celcius = 482 F (according to Google).
Enjoy!
Swedish food culture 