Korvapuustii

Angelina 9's Note:

this is my Mum's version of a traditional Finnish coffee bread. Everyone has their own variation on this bread. The measurements used are Australian - cups 250mls. Time for preparation is mainly taken up with waiting for the mix to rise. In the tropics it only takes about 3 hours to rise this dough twice. You can add more or less cinnamon or cardamom to the dough, depending on your taste.

• Total Time: 15 mins
• Prep Time: 0 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 12

Yield: 24.0 buns

• 4 ½ cups plain flour
• 14 g dried yeast
• 2 cups milk
• 1 pinch salt
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 egg yolks , plus
• 2 egg whites , for glazing
• 125 g butter
• 1 pinch cardamom

Paste Filling (measurements are approximate and to taste)

• 100 g butter
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons cardamom

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 210°C.
2. Mix milk, sugar, salt, yeast, cardamom and egg yolks together.
3. Add the flour gradually and butter until mixed and uniform. The mix needs to be handling grade so add some more flour if necessary. You don't want it too stiff though as this will make for tough buns.
4. Leave the mix in the bowl until it rises. Pat the mix down until it 'deflates' and let it rise again. Letting it rise twice makes for 'lighter' buns :) Time to rise depends on the temperature of the room in which you do it.
5. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface/board so it doesn't stick. Cut the mix amount in half to make it easier to handle.
6. Roll mix out to about 1-1.5cm thick and spread with soft butter, sprinkle with cinnamon, cardamom and sugar. Spread as much butter as you would on a sandwich on the dough. Put the spices on so that they cover the dough all over, especially the edges. You should put on a good amount as the dough will be relatively thick once cooked.
7. Roll the dough up and cut individual buns into 'triangles' with the tops cut off, don't make the tops too narrow. Make the bottoms approx 7.5cm/3", tops 2.5cm/1" as a guide. They will spread as they cook.
8. Put triangles on baking tray (lined with baking paper) turned with the widest part on the bottom, skinny top facing up.
9. Using index fingers, push down on the top of the bun, spreading it out. Don't flatten it too much otherwise you will end up with really wide flat buns, lol.
10. Brush with whisked egg whites. Repeat with the other half of the mix.
11. Put in oven for approximately 15 minutes or until the buns are golden brown.
12. Remove from oven when cooked and brush with egg whites again, then sprinkle with sugar.
13. sit back, brew a nice cup of coffee or tea and enjoy :).
14. The number of buns will vary depending on how thick you cut them.
15. As an alternative filling, you can add fruit/jam instead of the cinnamon and cardamom.