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Swedish Orange Sweet Buns

Swedish Orange Sweet Buns made with a buttery, cardamom dough layered with fragrant orange sugar, then knotted, topped with crunchy Swedish pearl sugar and baked until they're golden brown.
Swedish Orange Sweet Buns
Yield 12 buns

Ingredients

Dough

  • 3 cups bread flour
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 (0.25oz) package (7g) or 2 1/4 teaspoons Platinum Yeast
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon table salt
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
  • 2 large eggs (room temperature)

Filling

  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • Zest from 1 large orange
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)

Topping

  • Egg wash: 1 egg plus 1 tablespoon water (whisked together)
  • Swedish pearl sugar

Instructions

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, combine 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, cardamom, and salt.
  • In saucepan or microwave safe dish, heat milk and butter until warm (120° - 130°F).
  • Add liquids to flour mixture. Blend at low speed until moistened. Add eggs; beat 3 minutes at medium speed.
  • Switch to the dough hook and mix in the remaining flour a little at a time, to make a soft, slightly sticky dough, add more or less flour as needed. Knead the dough for 5 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in warm place until double, about 45 minutes.
  • While the dough is resting, make the orange sugar filling by mixing the sugar with the orange zest.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Punch down the dough and let it rest 5 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 18x12-inch rectangle. Spread the butter evenly over the bottom 2/3 of the dough with a rubber spatula or your fingers. Sprinkle the orange sugar evenly over the butter. Fold the dough into thirds like a letter.
  • Cut dough in to twelve strips, each 6-inches long by 1-inch wide with a pizza cutter or dough scraper.
  • Cut each piece 3/4 of the way up horizontally and twist the two ends. Tie the ends in to a knot. (Alternative ways to shape: #1 Twist each strip then wrap each twist around two fingers and tuck the end through the middle of the circle to the bottom. #2 Hold one end of each strip and twist it several times. Start with one end and roll it up like a snail shell and tuck the end underneath.)
  • Place each bun on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until double, about 30 minutes.
  • Brush with egg wash, and sprinkle with pearl sugar
  • Bake about 20 minutes until golden brown. Cover the top with foil if the rolls are browning too quickly. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool on the pan for 10 to 15 minutes.

Notes

Recipe by Barbara Bakes.