Apple and Cinnamon Kanelbullar

Swedish Sticky Buns stuffed with Cinnamon-spiced Apple – yum!

I feel like I’ve gone list-crazy the past few weeks. I’m either permanently attached to my notebook, or the list app on my phone (I’m OBSESSED with it). And it’s not because I’m one of those super organised “I don’t know how she does it” kind of girls – ha ha, I wish! Nope. It’s because I suddenly don’t seem to be in possession of a brain anymore. It’s gone. The majority of my brain cells seem to have gone on strike during working hours, not that it matters because most of the time I’m way too tired to engage those that have stuck around in solidarity. The fact that I’m even stringing full sentences together right now is a miracle; baby brain is a very real thing. I’ve left my keys in the front door too many times to count, jumped my own train of thought between stations, burnt boiled eggs (oh yes, that’s actually possible), forgotten names (I’m usually so good with names!) and left that thing upstairs that I was going to use for the um… something or other, waaay too many times to count. Counting? Forget it. If I didn’t have my list app and notebook to remind me how to function, then I’d be completely useless.

I’m sure there was supposed to be a clever segway into Cinnamon Buns leading on from that, but I’ve lost it. Oh well. 5 weeks to go, and counting.

Thank God I took the time to scribble this recipe down in detail in my notebook is all I’m gon’ say, because it’s a keeper. Cinnamon Buns just happen to be my absolute favourite of the sticky, sweet bun species; I’ve been working on a recipe for the perfect, fluffy enriched dough for a while now and I’ve finally found The One. It makes a cracking batch of traditional cinnamon buns, sure, but add some stewed apple into the mix and plait them into a traditional Swedish Kanelbullar and they’re even better. It just so happens that the apple tree in my back garden has delivered the goods yet again this year – so there’ll be plenty of batches of these babies to come over the next few weeks. Who needs a brain when you’ve got buns, hun?

Apple and Cinnamon Kanelbullar

makes 9

Method

1. Combine the milk and butter in a microwaveable bowl and gently heat for 2 minutes.
2. Stir in the sugar and cardamom and then leave to cool for 1 minute (ideally you want the temperature to drop to between 32˚C and 35˚C). Once cooled, stir in the yeast and then leave for 10 minutes to allow it to activate.
3. Stir in the flour and salt then knead for at least 10 minutes either by hand or in a stand mixer with a dough hook until you have a soft and springy dough (it’ll be sticky to begin with, but persevere!). Cover with a cloth, then leave the dough somewhere warm to prove for about an hour.
4. Whilst the dough is proving, make the filling. Put all the ingredients in a saucepan, then gently allow to come together over a low heat. The butter and sugars should melt and combine, and the apples should soften. For a smooth, paste-like filling, feel free to either mash or blitz it in a blender – or leave it if you’re happy with more of a chunky filling. Set aside to cool.
5. Once the dough has doubled in size, knock it back and then roll it out into a rectangle that’s about half a centimetre thick. Spread the cooled apple and cinnamon filling right to the corners, then fold one of the long edges into the centre of the rectangle. Fold the opposite long edge into the middle, slightly overlapping the other one. Slice the folded rectangle from long edge to long edge into 9 equal slices. If you’re a fan of traditional cinnamon rolls, then simply roll each slice – or if you want them to look more like the knots above then you’re going to need to flatten out each slice, slice into three strands, plait, and then roll.
6. Pop the buns into a lightly greased muffin tin, cover with clingfilm and then leave to prove for another hour.
7. Heat your oven up to 220C, coat the buns in a light egg wash, and then bake for 12 minutes. Whilst still warm, brush with sugar syrup – then leave to cool.
8. You can just leave them right there, but once they were completely cool I decided to add an extra sticky maple glaze and a few scattered chopped nuts (…does wonders covering up a messy plait!).

Have a lovely week everyone!  💛 💛 💛