Sweden is one of those countries where coffee consumption is among the highest in the world. The national tradition of fika — a small coffee break with a bun, twice a day — is more of a social ritual, and that makes it even more delightful. A separate post should be dedicated to northern coffee, but for now, let’s talk about the baking.
Fortunately (or unfortunately), Swedish pastries are not too different from what we are used to: similar ingredients, similar processes. But they have a slightly cozier feel due to the use of local northern berries and spices, making the cuisine incredibly aromatic.
The Foundation of Swedish Baking
Flour. Typically "regular" high-quality wheat flour. Rye is used less frequently.
Sugar. Regular refined or unrefined sugar.
Butter. Butter is the base of almost every recipe.
Eggs.
Spices. This is what makes Swedish pastries even more lovable. Primarily cinnamon and cardamom, with caraway, anise, and ginger appearing less often. Avoid pre-ground spices — crushing them in a mortar or under the back of a knife will make them ten times more aromatic and flavorful.
Nuts. Most commonly almonds and hazelnuts.
If you travel through Sweden, you’ll likely come across traditional cinnamon buns everywhere. Below is a similar recipe but with even more aroma.
Tried and tested multiple times — Swedish cardamom and blackcurrant buns, a recipe from Jamie Oliver’s Jamie Does… I personally call them messy buns — during the preparation, the kitchen looks like the aftermath of a minor disaster: hands covered in red juice, the dough forming irregular lumps. But when the buns have spent 30 minutes in the oven, and the first aroma fills the air… When you pull apart the doubled-in-size buns and break off warm pieces to eat with coffee or tea — you forgive everything. These remain my absolute favorite buns.
- 375 ml milk
- 7 g dry yeast
- 50 g butter
- a pinch of salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. ground cardamom (about 20 pods)
- juice and zest of ½ an orange
- 750 g flour
- 200 g sugar for the dough + 75 g for the filling
- 375 g blackcurrants (or blueberries, bilberries)
Melt the butter. Warm the milk (375 ml) and mix it with 7 g dry yeast. Let it sit for at least 3–4 minutes (longer is fine). Once a bit of foam appears, the yeast is active.
Whisk the eggs with a pinch of salt, add a full teaspoon of crushed cardamom seeds, 200 g sugar, and the softened butter. Stir well, then pour in the yeast mixture and mix again. Add 500 g of flour and knead into a sticky dough. Once the consistency is smooth, add the remaining 250 g of flour and knead until the dough is soft and no longer sticky. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for about an hour to an hour and a half. It should double in size.
Mix the berries with sugar, orange zest, and juice, mashing them slightly to release some juice. On a floured surface, stretch the dough into a rectangle with your hands. Arrange the berry mixture in a line down the center, then fold the dough over to enclose them, forming a "parcel." Use a knife to roughly divide the dough into 8–10 pieces. Take each piece, stretch it slightly, and twist it into a "snail" shape.
The result will look like a post-car-crash scene, but that’s exactly how it should be. Sprinkle a baking sheet with sugar and scatter small pieces of butter — this creates a caramelized crust on the bottom. Arrange the buns on the sheet, leaving 1-3 cm between them. Let them rest for another 30 minutes. Sprinkle with sugar and orange zest.
Bake at 180°C for 20-25 minutes.
Melt the butter. Warm the milk (375 ml) and mix it with 7 g dry yeast. Let it sit for at least 3–4 minutes (longer is fine). Once a bit of foam appears, the yeast is active.
Whisk the eggs with a pinch of salt, add a full teaspoon of crushed cardamom seeds, 200 g sugar, and the softened butter. Stir well, then pour in the yeast mixture and mix again. Add 500 g of flour and knead into a sticky dough. Once the consistency is smooth, add the remaining 250 g of flour and knead until the dough is soft and no longer sticky. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for about an hour to an hour and a half. It should double in size.
Mix the berries with sugar, orange zest, and juice, mashing them slightly to release some juice. On a floured surface, stretch the dough into a rectangle with your hands. Arrange the berry mixture in a line down the center, then fold the dough over to enclose them, forming a "parcel." Use a knife to roughly divide the dough into 8–10 pieces. Take each piece, stretch it slightly, and twist it into a "snail" shape.
The result will look like a post-car-crash scene, but that’s exactly how it should be. Sprinkle a baking sheet with sugar and scatter small pieces of butter — this creates a caramelized crust on the bottom. Arrange the buns on the sheet, leaving 1-3 cm between them. Let them rest for another 30 minutes. Sprinkle with sugar and orange zest.
Bake at 180°C for 20-25 minutes.
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