Cinnamon Inspirations

I love everything flavoured with cinnamon, especially during fall and winter. And since Christmas is approaching, and this spice is THE number one Christmas spice, I thought I'd give you some Cinnamon Inspiration from the blog world.


If you love Cinnamion Rolls but doesn't have the time or want to put in the effort of making a yeast based dough, this is a great option Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze from Averie Cooks.






This Hungarian Cherry & Cinnamon Cake sounds amazing. From blogger Italy on My Mind






Or if you're a biscotti lover, why not pop over to blogger Cookie Crumble who has the recipe for these fab Cinnamon Biscotti's.






Mmm these Apple Cider Doughnuts looks absolutely super yummie! Blogger Carpé Season sure knows how to tease my tastebuds...






ENJOY!

Healthy Carrot & Seed Buns

Summer is over and it's getting colder in Sweden and what is better to eat on a rainy day but Soup and a hearty healthy Carrot Bread? In this recipe I added loads of different seeds since I love the crunchy texture and also, they get way healthier than eating just a plain wheat based bread. The carrots doesn't actually give much flavours to the buns but they do turn out beautiful orange coloured and very, very moist. I hope you like them!

Healthy Carrot & Seed Buns
25 grams of fresh yeast or 1tbsp dry yeast
4 dl water (400ml)
2 carrots, medium sized, finely grated
1 dl sunflower oil (100ml)
1 tbsp dark corn syrup (25 ml)
2 tsp salt
2 tsp bitter orange
1/2 dl sunflower seeds (50ml)
1/2 dl flax seeds (50ml)
1/4 dl sesame seeds (25ml)
4 dl rye flour (400ml)
7-8 dl wheat flour (700-800ml)

Crumble the fresh yeast into a bowl and add lukewarm water (37 d C). If you are using dry yeast, let it dissolve in warm water min. 43 degrees C. Set aside for 10-15 minutes while the yeast dissolves.

Add finely grated carrots, sunflower oil, syrup, salt, bitter orange, all the seeds, rye flour and almost all flour into the yeast mixture. The dough should still be a little bit sticky. Make sure you don't use too much flour as it will make the bread dry. Work the dough by hand for about 20 minutes or in a kitchen aid for about 10 minutes. When you feel that the dough is ok, cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and set aside to rise to double its size for about 40-60 minutes. Place the bowl in a warm place.

TIP:
The dough is ready when it's slightly glossy. If you work the dough too little, the bread will turn out dense. One trick is to take a piece of dough between your thumb and index finger, pull finger apart, if the dough between your fingers are thin and elastic, you've worked it enough. Otherwise....work it more:-)

Sprinkle some flour onto work top and place the dough on top. Take small pieces of the dough and roll into buns. Place the buns on your baking sheet. Brush with milk.

Leave and let rise for another 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.

Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, until your bread is golden coloured. Let cool on an oven rack.


ENJOY!

Raspberry Buns

I've made buns! Again! I think I'm in some kind of yeast baking mood or something and at the moment my body craves buns all the time. Weird but true. I hope you don't mind. I'll promise to bake something else than buns the next time.

These are filled with raspberry jam, but you can of course fill them with your favourite flavour. These buns are granny style buns, and I've got fond memories of my grandmother baking these.

Raspberry Buns, 20 buns
3dl milk (300ml)
150grams butter
50g fresh yeast
1,5dl sugar (150ml)
1egg
0,5tsp salt
1 tbsp pounded cardamom
11-12dl flour (1200ml)

Filling:
Raspberry jam

Decoration:
1 egg
Powder 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, the milk and butter mixture should be warmer than 37 degrees C.) Let the yeast melt and add sugar, egg, 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 rise for about 60 minutes in a warm place. It should rise to about double the size. I usually put the oven on beforehand (250 degrees C.) to make the kitchen extra warm. Meanwhile make the vanilla cream filling.

Tip the dough onto your flour powdered baking table and divide into 4 pieces. Roll out each part to a rectangle. Cut each piece into squares.  Place a dollop of raspberry jam in the middle of each square. Fold the edges of the squares into the middle, press together, make sure to keep the jam inside the buns. Place your buns in a paper cup or directly onto a oven papered baking plate.  Cover with a kitchen towel and set aside to rise for about 20 minutes.

Beat the egg and brush this carefully on the bun. Bake in the oven for about 8 minutes in 250 degrees C. until golden. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top before serving.

ENJOY!

Cinnamon Bun Braid

This is a true classic in Sweden! A beautiful Cinnamon Braid. You can buy this everywhere and it's loved by everyone. It's not difficult to make, but since it's made of yeast it requires some waiting while the dough is rising. But once you feel the cinnamon flavour from the oven that fills your home, i promise it's worth the wait.


Cinnamon Bun Braid, 2 braids
3dl milk (300ml)
150grams butter
50g fresh yeast
1,5dl sugar (150ml)
1egg
0,5tsp salt
1 tbsp pounded cardamom
11-12dl flour (1200ml)

Filling:
75g butter, softened
1dl sugar (100ml)
2 tbsp vanilla sugar
2tbsp cinnamon powder

Decoration:
1 egg
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, the milk and butter mixture should be warmer than 37 degrees C.) Let the yeast melt and add sugar, egg, 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 rise for about 60 minutes in a warm place. It should rise to about double the size. I usually put the oven on beforehand (200 degrees C.) to make the kitchen extra warm. Meanwhile make the vanilla cream filling.

Tip the dough onto your flour powdered baking table and divide into 2 pieces. Roll out each piece to a rectangle on a lined baking plate. Spread butter, on the middle 1/3rd of the rectangle, and sprinkle the dry ingredients on top. Cut 2cm, diagonal strips of the two outer parts. Make braids of the lengths to braid. Cover with a kitchen towel and set aside to rise for about 40 minutes.

Brush the braids with a beaten egg and sprinkle pear sugar on top. Bake in the oven for about 15-20 in 200 degrees C. until golden.



ENJOY!

Buns with Vanilla Cream Filling

Another word for these buns in Sweden are Sun Buns, because the middle filling looks like the sun. I like that name, it sounds cute and summery. The taste is absolutely heavenly, a soft cardamom flavoured bun with a vanilla cream filling. One of my favourite buns!

Buns with Vanilla Cream Filling, 16pcs
3dl milk (300ml)
150grams butter
50g fresh yeast
1,5dl sugar (150ml)
1egg
0,5tsp salt
1 tbsp pounded cardamom
11-12dl flour (1200ml)

Filling:
5dl milk, 3% (500ml)
1 vanilla pod
1,5dl sugar (150ml)
7 egg yolks
1,5dl corn flour (150ml)
50grams soft butter

Decoration:
butter
2 caster 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, the milk and butter mixture should be warmer than 37 degrees C.) Let the yeast melt and add sugar, egg, 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 rise for about 60 minutes in a warm place. It should rise to about double the size. I usually put the oven on beforehand (200 degrees C.) to make the kitchen extra warm. Meanwhile make the vanilla cream filling.

Filling:
Use a sharp knife, split the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds. Add both the pod and the seeds in a small saucepan along with the milk. Bring to boil. Whisk sugar, egg yolks and corn flour airy. Pour the hot milk while stirring. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and carefully heat it while stirring. Don't let custard boil as it might hurdle. As soon as the mixture starts thickening pour it quickly into a cold bowl. Add butter and let it melt, and whisk. Set aside to cool down.

Tip the dough onto your flour powdered baking table and divide into 16 pieces. Roll each piece to buns, flatten a bit. Place on a lined baking plate, cover with a kitchen towel and set aside to rise for about 40 minutes. Fill a piping bag with the vanilla cream, and pipe  into the middle of each bun.

Bake in the oven for about 7-8 minutes in 200 degrees C. until golden. Let the buns cool a little bit before brushing them with melted butter and sprinkle caster sugar on top.

Enjoy!

My Sweet Party -Top Three Chocolate Favourites

I've finally decided my top three favourites from my very first chocolate themed My Sweet Party. OMG! I was drooling over your contributions, everything looked super yummie and I've bookmarked lots and lots of your stuff. Great job everyone! The downside of this....now I'm craving something chocolaty like crazy, but I haven't even a tiny little chocolate bar or cookie or whatever to stop my craving.....I'm such a newbie:-)

If you wanna check out every single chocolate contribution, do it here. But, remember to have something chocolaty close by:-)


OK, here are my top three favourites:

What is almost synonymous with chocolate when it comes to baking? Yup, BROWNIES:-) Katarina, the blogger of Hovkonditorn made these fabulous Oreo Mocha Brownies. By looking at her pictures you can easily see that they are melt in the mouth divine, and sticky, and wonderfully chocolaty.





Look at the stickiness at this one below:-) yum, yum, yum! Katarina is a Finland-Swedish woman living in Singapore. Her blog is written both in Swedish and English. Katarina's recipes are a mix between cooking, baking, and tips where to eat in Singapore. Be sure to pop over to here blog and be inspired!



My next favourite are these Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Donuts made by Dorothy from the super cute blog Crazy for Crust. I just love her blog and the way she writes and her amazing pictures makes me drool every time I check out her blog. Her blog is all about sweets, so if you're a sweet tooth like me, you probably like her blog too.




These are irresistible and bookmarked for sure:-)!




And finally we have these colourful and cute M&M cookies from lovely Maude at Spicy Cinnamon. Maude is a Canadian studying in Italy, she loves food, art and fitness. Her blog has a great combo of food, desserts and health. I also believe that you can eat whatever you like as long as you do it in moderation.  Her blog is definitely worth checking out! And now have a look at these cutie M&M Cookies! They made me smile instantly! They look chubby and childish and I LOVE them!







I hope you liked my round-up and that you are eager to participate in my next My Sweet Party - June - Summer Fruits !!!

Homemade Croissants

Who doesn't like freshly baked, buttery and flaky French Croissants? Have you ever tried to make them yourself? It takes a while to make the pastry and therefore I have a little time saving tip for you who are ok with a little bit of cheating in the kitchen now and then:-).  Buy a package of ready rolled butter puff pastry and you are nearly done:-)

Croissants
1 packet ready rolled butter puff pastry
some sugar, chocolate. cinnamon as filling
1 egg beaten

Pre-heat the oven to 225 degrees C.

Unfurl the sheet of puff pastry and cut into long triangles. Fill with sugar, cinnamon, chocolate or leave them plain. Then roll carefully from the wider end, toward the point. Curl it slightly.

Place the croissants on a lined baking tray. Brush with a beaten egg and bake for about 10 minutes until golden and puffy.

Voila! Homemade croissants! :-)

For you who prefer to make your own Croissants from scratch I recommend Tracey's Culinary Adventures who has a great recipe and a step-by-step guide that is easy to follow. I was too lazy this time, but someday I have to try the real deal myself:-)

Enjoy!

Cardamom and Cinnamon Buns

These Swedish Cinnamon Buns may seem like it takes forever to bake and that it requires a lot of effort. Well, it do take a little while, because you have to let the dough and the buns rest twice to grow in size and let the yeast work it's magic, but it's not difficult to bake cinnamon buns and I promise it's worth the wait:-) Also, you'll be very popular amongst your friends, kids or whomever is lucky to try them;-)

You might wonder what the difference is between this recipe and American Cinnamon Buns. Well, first of all we use - 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! We sprinkle with pear sugar instead.







Cardamom and Cinnamon Buns, 20pcs
3 dl milk
75 grams butter
25 g fresh yeast
1 dl sugar
1 tbsp pounded cardamom
7,5-8,5 dl flour

Filling:
100 g room temperature butter
2 tbsp brown sugar
2tbsp cinnamon

Decoration:
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 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 rise for about 40-60 minutes in a warm place. It should rise to about double the size. I usually put the oven on beforehand (225 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 cinnamon. I usually use more than the recipe requires as I love cinnamon:-). Roll the dough to lenghts and cut in about 3-4 cm pieces.

Place you bun, with the cut side down, 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 7-10 minutes in 225 degrees C. until golden.

Enjoy!

Today it's Fat Tuesday and in Sweden we eat Semla

Today it's Fat Tuesday and according to tradition this is the day when we are supposed to eat fatty foods before the fasting begins. In many English speaking countries this is also known as Pancake Day, in other countries it might be known as Mardi Gras. In Sweden this day is known as Fat Tuesday and we eat a pastry called Semla. It's a cardamom-spiced wheat bun, filled with almond paste and topped with whipped cream.  

Semla, 26 pcs150g butter

5 dl milk

50 g yeast

1,5 dl sugar

3 tsp ground cardamom
0,5 tsp salt
15 dl wheat flour (approximately)

Topping and filling
200 g almond paste/marzipan
1 dl milk
3 dl whipped cream

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the milk and warm the mixture to 37 degrees C. Lukewarm. Pour into a bowl. Crumble the yeast into the mixture and let it dissolve while stirring.

Add sugar, cardamom, salt and most of the flour. Stir until you have a smooth dough. Make sure you do not use too much flour as it will make the buns dry. It's better to add extra flour when you form the buns. Try to work the dough for at least 10 minutes. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and allow to rise in a warm spot for about 45 minutes.

Sprinkle remaining flour onto your baking board and divide the dough into 26 pieces. Roll the dough pieces to form buns. Place the buns on a baking sheet and cover with a kitchen towel. Let the buns rise for about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 225 degrees C. bake the buns for about 10 minutes, until golden and center is firmed. Don't bake too long as it will make the buns dry.

Assembling:

Cut the tops of he buns and set aside. Scoop out a little of the center of the bun and place in a bowl. Add in the bowl, almond paste/marzipan and milk and mix to a soft mixture. Put a dollop of the mixture back into the the bun.

Whip the cream until soft and airy. Pipe whipped cream on top of the filling. Replace the tops onto the buns and dust confectionersr's sugar on top before serving.

Happy Baking!

 

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!

Christmas is apporaching!

I love Christmas! I love everything about Christmas, the decorations, the Christmas carols, the food and desserts..of course, but most of all I love that it's the time of year when we spend a lot of time with friends and family. This weekend me and my mom went to my grandmothers to bake "Lussekatter". It's a saffron bun which is strongly associated with Christmas in Sweden. We bake and eat it during the entire month of December and since it's December very soon, I thought it's about time to get started with the Christmas preparations.

The saffron gives the bun this beautiful yellow colour.