Swedish cinnamon & cardamon buns

I could write a whole page about how these buns transport me back to Sweden, how every time I go back it's the first thing I seek out to eat. Suffice to say they bring me a feeling of home. Besides this they are just delicious. Of course I made mine with whole wheat flour and palm sugar, lowering the butter and sugar which honestly did them no favour so I will instead increase the amounts in the recipe below so that you will get the right 'kanel bulle' as they are called in Sweden.

Ingredients:

150 grams butter
5 dl milk (soy, goat, almond or cows)
75 gram yeast
1,5 dl sugar
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp crushed cardamon
17-18 dl flour (I used 50% whole wheat spelt & 50% unbleached white spelt however I recommend lowering it to a ration of  20% & 80% to avoid dry buns)
* optional topping - almond flakes

filling:
100 grams butter at room temp
1/2 dl sugar
3 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cardamon

optional:
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp vanilla sugar

This recipe does require patience & time as it take almost 3 hours to make with the proofing and baking time included.

1. Melt the butter in a pan on a low heat, then add the milk of your choice. This hold bring the liquid to a body temp (37C - test by dipping your finger in the liquid and if you feel no actual warm or col then its at body temp, otherwise leave to cool or heat slightly)
2. Transfer the liquid to a large mixing bowl. Crumble the fresh jest or pour the dried yeast into the butter milk mix and blend till the jest has melted into the liquid. 
3. Add the sugar, salt and crushed cardamon to the liquid. Then add 80% the flour slowly, mixing to combine all. Once all has combined and your left with the silky dough add another 10% of the flour, you want to the dough to shiny and elastic with a slight stickiness but not overly wet consistency. The dough should remain in its bowl during this part of baking. 
4. Cover with a clean linen cloth or plastic foil and place the bowl in a warmish area of the kitchen this will help the proofing of the dough. You want the yeast to start expanding, important is that it is not placed in a cold marble surface nor on a hot stove top. 
5. Allow to proof for 40min. The dough should double in size. 
6. Meanwhile mix the filling ingredients to a smooth paste. 
7. Take out the dough from the bowl and place on a floured surface, and work it with your hands till shiny and elastic. You may need to add flour to keep it from sticking. 
8. Half the dough into two equal halves. place one half to the side. Then using a rolling pin roll out the dough to a flat pancake. 
9. using a spatula spread the half the filling paste onto the flattened dough. Now roll the dough from one end to the other you you end up with a long snake of rolled dough. Use a knife to cut the dough into buns. Place these buns a baking tray with baking paper and allow to proof for another 40min. 
10. Do the same for the second half of the dough. If you want you can sprinkle extra sugar or almond flakes over the top of the buns.
11. Pre heat your oven to 250 degrees C, 20min through the proofing time. Place the buns in the middle of the oven for 5-8 min and then lower the heat to 225 C for another 14-18min. 
12. Allow the buns to cool.