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Tessa Vahl · from the Reel posted Oct 14Laminated Cardamom Buns
An enriched dough folded around a slab of cold butter, then rolled with brown sugar and cardamom. Flaky outside, soft inside.
Makes12 buns
Hands-on1 hr 15 min
Chill & proofOvernight + 2 hr
Bake200°C / 400°F
Scale
Units
Method
- Mix the dough. Combine everything in the dough list except the butter. Knead 5 minutes, add the soft butter, knead 6 more until smooth. Wrap and chill overnight.
- Make the butter slab. Pound the cold laminating butter between parchment into a 17 cm square. Chill until firm but bendable.
- Lock in. Roll the dough to a 25 cm square, set the butter on it like a diamond, and fold the corners over to seal.
- Fold. Roll to 20 × 60 cm and give it a letter fold. Chill 30 minutes. Repeat twice more for 27 butter layers.
- Fill and shape. Roll to 30 × 40 cm, spread the filling, fold in thirds, cut 12 strips and twist each into a knot.
- Proof and bake. Proof at about 24°C until puffy and wobbly, around 2 hours. Brush with egg and bake 20–24 minutes until deep golden.
If it goes wrong
The butter cracks or breaks through the dough
The butter is too cold. Let the block sit at room temperature for 5 minutes and try again. It should bend without snapping.
Butter leaks out in the oven
Usually the buns proofed somewhere too warm and the butter melted before baking. Keep the proofing spot under about 26°C, and make sure the oven is fully preheated.
The buns came out dense
They needed more proofing. Look for buns that jiggle when you shake the tray, not just a set time.
Swaps
No bread flour: all-purpose works, the buns will be a little softer. Dairy-free: use a firm plant-based butter block for laminating. Whole cardamom pods ground fresh give the most flavor.
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