December's Kitchen of the Month was Cathy of Bread Experience. Cathy asked us to make Swedish Buns with either a cardamom or savory filling, and using either yeast or sourdough starter. Quite a few variations to be had!
Since my Instagram baking group had made Cardamom Buns for a November challenge, I chose to go in a different direction: half the buns were savory, and the other half were filled with chopped dark chocolate.
I also utilized two new (for me) helpful tools.
The first tool was using a quilting/sewing ruler to more accurately measure the size of the buns. I had two of these rulers, so it wasn't a problem to assign one to baking projects. It sure made measuring much easier!
The second tool was a heating mat, made specifically for bread proofing. During the winter months, when the heater is running, I can use my 'proofing' room (aka the main bathroom). But during the months when it is too warm to run the heater, yet too cool to proof dough, I thought this would be a good solution. The heater was on sale, so I treated myself.
For the savory filling, I combined butter, parmesan, garlic, and a few chives. I also sprinkled some Maldon salt on the tops. For the chocolate filling, I spread the dough with softened butter and sprinkled on chopped dark chocolate. On these tops, I sprinkled some Swedish pearl sugar. They both turned out just fine, and I don't have a favorite. It's nice to know that you can play with different flavor combinations and end up with a tasty treat.
You are welcome to bake along with us. You can find the recipe on Cathy's website. Send a photo and link to Cathy before the end of the month.
To see what variation the other Babes made, follow one of these links:
