Brown Sugar & Cardamom Roll

2h 30m

This Brown Sugar & Cardamom Roll — originally called Brunsviger — is a simple yet delicious pastry consisting of a sticky brown sugar topping and a spongy, heavy yeast dough bottom.

I grew up on the Danish island of Fyn, a place that is famous for the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen and for the pastry called Brunsviger. This is my interpretation of this traditional cake, showcasing my love and appreciation for Fyn. The recipe captures the original notes of the cake, but transfers them into a more contemporary and fun version.

Add 50 g of fresh yeast and 500 g of whole milk to a mixer with a hook attachment. Mix on slow speed to dissolve the yeast
Add 2 eggs and 120 g of white sugar. Mix for 1m until combined
Add 1 kg of all-purpose flour
Add 10 g of salt and 5 g of cardamom powder. Mix on slow speed to combine
Add 160 g of soft cubed butter, little by little. Continue mixing on slow speed until the dough begins to form
Mix on medium speed and knead for 10m. Check the dough during the process to verify the texture — it should be very elastic and smooth
Cover the dough with a kitchen cloth and put it in the refrigerator for 1h to rest
Add 600 g of brown sugar and 375 g of butter to a pot over medium heat. Mix and heat until the butter just melts. Reserve until the mixture cools down
Combine 200 g of brown sugar, 100 g of white sugar and 15 g of cardamom powder in a bowl. Reserve the mixture
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and transfer it to a floured surface. Flatten it with your hands
Roll out the dough until it is 5 mm thick
Cut the dough in half lengthwise and spread 2/3 of the brown sugar and butter mix on one of the halves
Cover with the other half
Transfer the dough to a tray. Make sure to avoid overlapping
Let it rest in the fridge for 30m to firm
Preheat the oven on convection mode to 180 ºC
Cut the dough into 4 equal rectangles. Cut each rectangle into 16 equal strips
Separate the strips into groups of 4
Overlap the strips to form a pound sign. Twist the bottom strips above the top strips
Connect each pair of strips. Twist them together towards the center and join them at the top. Turn the pastry upside down
Grease a silicone mold with half of the melted butter and sprinkle half of the sugar and cardamom mix
Place the pastries in the molds and grease them with the remaining half of the melted butter
Sprinkle the remaining half of the sugar and cardamom mix over the pastries. Finish each pastry with 1 tsp of the brown sugar and butter mix
Bake for 11m until golden brown
The brown sugar & cardamom rolls are ready! Enjoy!