Sourdough Cardamom Buns
The first time I tasted a cardamom bun I was standing in a bakery I had no intention of entering, on a cold Saturday, holding a paper bag and already planning the second one before I had finished the first, which is how I tend to approach things I find unexpectedly good. Cardamom had been in my kitchen long before that, in my mother's rice pudding, in places I did not always notice it, but tucked into a soft buttery dough with an overnight rest it becomes something different. I feel that cardamom gets treated like a special-occasion spice, brought out for chai and then put away for six months, and it does not deserve that. Freshly ground is not optional here: if the pods have been in your cabinet since sometime last year, buy new ones. My oven and I have had ongoing disagreements for years, and these buns have somehow remained above the conflict.
Sourdough Cardamom Buns
Cardamom buns made with a sourdough starter are the kind of thing you make once and then find yourself making every other weekend without fully understanding how that happened. The cardamom is the whole point, warm and floral and slightly citrusy, it turns a plain enriched dough into something that smells like your kitchen is doing its best work. My starter needs feeding before I can do anything, which is humbling, but let me just say: these babies are worth every hour of planning.
Ingredients
For the dough
100g (½ cup) active sourdough starter, fed and bubbly
240ml (1 cup) whole milk, warmed to lukewarm
60g (¼ cup) unsalted butter, softened
50g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1½ tsp freshly ground cardamom (from about 12 pods)
½ tsp fine sea salt
450g (3½ cups) all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
For the cardamom filling
80g (6 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
80g (⅓ cup) granulated sugar
2 tsp freshly ground cardamom
To finish
1 egg, beaten with 1 tbsp milk (egg wash)
2 tbsp pearl sugar or coarsely crushed sugar cubes
Instructions
In a large bowl, whisk together the warm milk, sourdough starter, sugar, and egg until the starter is dissolved and the mixture looks mostly smooth.
Add the flour, cardamom, salt, and vanilla. Stir until a shaggy dough forms, then turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough will feel slightly tacky, leave it that way and resist adding extra flour.
Add the softened butter a tablespoon at a time, working each piece in fully before adding the next. In a stand mixer this takes about 5 minutes on medium speed. By hand it takes longer and feels chaotic before it comes together. Both routes end up in the same place.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise at room temperature for 4-6 hours until noticeably puffed. Then transfer to the refrigerator and leave it overnight, at least 8 hours.
For the filling: beat together the softened butter, sugar, and cardamom until smooth and easily spreadable.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll it into a rectangle roughly 45x30cm (18x12 inches). Spread the filling evenly across the surface, leaving a 1cm border along one long edge.
Fold the dough in half lengthwise, pressing gently to seal. Cut into strips about 3cm (1° inch) wide. Twist each strip two or three times, then coil into a knot and tuck the end underneath. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spaced well apart.
Cover loosely with a damp towel and let proof at room temperature for 2-4 hours, until the buns look puffy and jiggle slightly when the pan is nudged. In a cold kitchen, give them extra time. There is no shortcut here.
Heat the oven to 200°C / 400°F. Brush each bun with egg wash and scatter pearl sugar on top. Bake for 14-17 minutes until deep golden.
Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before eating. These are best the day they're baked, but a minute wrapped in foil in a low oven does a lot for leftovers the next morning.
Hi, I'm Sarina!
I'm passionate about food, photography, and food styling. I want to share my unique perspective with you. Have a look around at my recipes and blog
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