A Reminder of Home: Cardamom Rolls

Life has been full of lots of changes recently. I (Emma) just moved to the UK after living at home for a year and a half and it has definitely been a huge adjustment. I’ve moved into a new house with other people my age, which has been great so far. But, inevitably, major changes can be a bit stressful! When I start to feel that anxiety, I find solace in familiar things and familiar habits, which for me is baking. And what reminds me most of home? A cardamom flavored bread roll, of course!

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Pretzel Shaped Rolls!

These are called kardemommekringler, or cardamom pretzels. They are a variation of our recipe for fødselsdagsboller, but a bit sweeter. And, obviously, pretzel-shaped! They are lovely and fluffy and taste like sweet cardamom. The pretzel shape means that they have more of a crust than regular rolls, which I personally find absolutely delicious. I also love the little sprinkles of pearl sugar on top, which add a nice sweet crunch to each bite!

Tips & Tricks

The recipe itself resembles most of our other recipes for bread rolls. Combine the ingredients and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. Let this rise and then shape the pretzels. To do so, roll out each bit of dough into a thin log and curl the ends toward the middle. Cross them and twist them together if you like. Make sure to press the ends into the dough so that they don’t fall off the pretzel when you bake it. Once you’ve shaped all the pretzels, let them rise again for about 30 minutes, then bake. Let us know below in the comments if you try this recipe!

Kardemommekringler (Cardamom Pretzels)

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These pretzel-shaped buns are fluffy and have a delicious cardamom flavor. The sugar on top (not salt!) adds the perfect amount of sweetness so they can be enjoyed as they are!

Servings servings

Prep Time 2 30

Cook Time 20

Total Time 2 50

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IMPORTANT NOTE:

We always bake using a digital scale and the metric system (grams and milliliters). We can’t promise that our cup measurements will be as accurate! Additionally, we bake and develop our recipes in a convection (fan) oven.

Ingredients

400 ml (1 3/4 cup) milk
2 tsp instant yeast (2.25 tsp active dry yeast, 17.5 g fresh yeast)
5 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cardamom
1 large egg
2 egg yolks
750 grams (6 cups) all-purpose or bread flour
70 grams (5 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
1 egg for egg wash
Pearl sugar (or turbinado sugar) for topping

Instructions

If using active dry yeast, heat the milk in the microwave or on the stovetop until it is “fingervarm” (finger warm), meaning it should feel warm to the touch but not hot. Add your yeast, stir, and leave it for 5-10 minutes until the mixture starts to bubble up. If using instant yeast, simply add the yeast to the milk – there is no need to dissolve it.
Combine the sugar, cardamom, egg, and egg yolks in a large bowl. Once the yeast mixture has bubbled up a bit, add it to the egg mixture, or if using instant yeast, you can add immediately. Mix well.
Then add the salt, melted butter, and flour. Mix with a wooden spoon until the dough starts to come together. Tip it out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes). Add more flour if needed – the dough should be soft and smooth, not dry and not sticking to the surface.
If using a stand mixer, allow it to knead the dough together for about 10 minutes.
Cover the dough with cling film or a clean dishtowel and place in the fridge overnight for 8 hours, or let rise at room temperature (if room temp is very cold wherever you are, put it in a warm place, i.e. under a light) for 1-1.5 hours or until doubled in size.
Once your dough has doubled in size, shape into 16 balls to start.
Then, to shape your pretzels, roll each ball into a thin log and curl both ends into the middle to create a pretzel shape.
If you'd like to, you can twist the two ends together in the middle.
Cover and let the pretzels rise for another 30 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 390 degrees F (200 degrees C). To check if the pretzels are ready, use the poke test. Poke the dough with one finger. If the dough springs back immediately, it needs more time. If it springs back slightly but an indentation remains, it’s ready to be baked.
Brush with egg wash (whisk together one egg and some water until there are no more gloopy egg streaks). Sprinkle each pretzel with some pearl or turbinado sugar. Bake for 18-20 minutes, turning the baking sheets halfway through so they get evenly brown.
To check if they are done, look at the bottoms of the pretzels – they should be golden brown and sound hollow when you tap them. If they’re too pale, they’ll need another minute or two.
Enjoy them plain as they are or cut in half and top with butter, jam, cheese, or whatever toppings you like!