Swedish Chocolate Twirls

This recipe is truly a Swedish classic, but with a twist - chocolate. What can go wrong with that combo?! :-) I love the classic Swedish Cinnamon buns and in Sweden it's served at every cafe and every home. We Swedes never ever get tired of them and they are perfect at every occasion. You can keep them in the freezer and warm in the oven when you crave one.

You might wonder what the difference is between this recipe and American Cinnamon buns. Well, first of all - cardamom in the dough. Second - these are baked in a very hot oven for just a few minutes which makes them light and fluffy, with a golden surface yet not dry or over baked. Fourth - the most important, we don't use glaze!


Swedish Chocolate Twirls

2 1/2 dl milk
50 g butter
25 g yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 dl sugar
1 tsp pounded cardamom
6-7 dl flour

Filling:
70 g room temperature butter
2 tbsp brown sugar
100 g dark high quality chocolate
(if you would like the classic Swedish buns, leave out the chocolate and add cinnamon instead)

1 egg
2 tbsp pearl sugar

Add milk and chopped butter in a bowl and warm in the microwave until lukewarm (37 degrees C.)

Crumble the fresh yeast into the milk and butter liquid (if you use dry yeast, add it with the flour instead). Let the yeast melt and add salt, sugar, pounded cardamom and blend well.

Add the flour and combine to a smooth and silky dough.  The dough should easily come off the bowl but be careful not to add to much flour as it will make your buns dry. You can put extra flour when you roll out the dough later on, if you need. Cover with a kitchen towel and let it proof for about 40 minutes in a warm place. It should rise to double the size. I usually put the oven on beforehand (250 degrees C.) to make the kitchen extra warm.

Tip the dough onto your flour powdered baking table and divide into two. Roll out each part to a rectangle. Spread the whole rectangle with butter, sprinkle brown sugar and your chopped dark chocolate on half of the rectangle. Cut 1,5 cm lenghts, twist and fold into a knot. Put your bun in a paper cup and into a muffin tin. You can also put them directly onto a oven papered baking plate.

Cover and leave them to proof for another 20 minutes.

Beat the egg and brush this carefully on the bun. Sprinkle with pearl sugar. bake in the oven for about 7 minutes in 250 degrees C until golden.

Enjoy warm with a glass of cold milk!