Modern Christmas baking

Christmas cardamom buns

MAKES 12 PREP + COOK TIME 2 HOURS (+ REFRIGERATION & STANDING TIME)

1 cup (250ml) milk, lukewarm
2 teaspoons (7g) dried yeast
2 tablespoons white sugar
2½ cups (375g) bread flour
1½ tablespoons freshly ground cardamom
65g unsalted butter, softened
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 egg, beaten lightly

FILLING

200g unsalted butter, softened slightly
¾ cup (165g) white sugar
1½ tablespoons freshly ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

TOPPING

2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom

1 Combine milk, yeast and 1 teaspoon of the sugar in a medium jug. Cover; stand in a warm place for 10 minutes or until frothy.

2 Place the flour, cardamom, butter, salt, remaining sugar and the yeast mixture in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on medium speed for 8 minutes or until very smooth and elastic. (Or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes.)

3 Turn dough onto a work surface; press out into a rectangle about 2cm thick. Make three slashes, 5mm deep, in top of dough. Cover with greased plastic wrap; refrigerate for 2 hours or until doubled in size.

Meanwhile, to make the filling, beat ingredients in the bowl of electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment just until well combined; do not overbeat (it should not be fluffy or too soft).