Take the classic French brioche bread to the next level with these Cardamom Brioche Buns, which are beautifully light and fluffy, and perfectly sweet and spiced. They are incredibly easy to make with just a few simple ingredients, and you get some delicious baked goodies that the whole family will enjoy.
The French brioche bread, a bakery classic, is one of the finest examples of bread made with enriched dough. Unlike a lean dough, which is based on simple ingredients like water, flour, yeast and salt, an enriched dough is elevated with the addition of ingredients like sugar, butter, eggs and milk.
The result is a sweet bread that is incredibly fluffy and light and has a lovely golden crust. I have a basic Brioche Bread Recipe already on the blog, and these brioche buns are a wonderful twist on a classic bread recipe.
My favourite Romanian sweet bread that uses enriched dough is Cozonac, which has Turkish delight, nuts and cocoa powder added for an indulgent touch.
Cardamom is such a fragrant spice with a unique flavour that can lift up any dish, baked or no-bake, sweet or savoury. It is widely used in the Middle Eastern, Asian and Indian cuisines, as well as in the Scandinavian cuisine.
In fact, the Scandinavian cardamom buns are an incredibly popular pastry, known for the perfect layers of flavours and richness. Unlike the Scandinavian buns, my cardamom brioche buns are a lot simpler tough, with no fillings, icing, knots or twists.
These brioche buns would make a perfect bite to enjoy with a hot drink, or a wonderful addition to the picnic basket, or a nice baked goodie to bring to potlucks or family gatherings. They can be enjoyed simple, or lightly toasted with butter and honey or the syrup of your choice.
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Note!
Go to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions!
Ingredients overview
- flour - while the plain flour can work too, I highly recommend bread flour for these buns. The strong while bread flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, which develops stronger gluten, so a more airy texture with a good rise
- milk - I used full-fat milk, as it's richer and creamier
- sugar - granulated sugar is just fine, caster sugar also ok
- yeast - I used dried fast-action yeast, it is crucial for the yeast to still be active, otherwise the dough will not rise
- butter - I went for salted butter to balance out the sugar
- eggs - only one egg is used for the dough, the other one is used as a glaze
- cardamom - freshly-ground cardamom is way better than ready-ground cardamom. It has a fresher, stronger flavour, and all you need to do is buy cardamom pods and grind them at home using a spice grinder
Step-by-step photos and instructions
- warm up the milk, and add it to a jug together with the yeast, a tablespoon of sugar and a tablespoon of flour
- give it a good stir, and set it aside for 10-15 minutes until it's frothy
- sift the flour, add the sugar and cardamom and mix well
- add the soft butter, one egg and yeasty mixture
- knead everything well, adding more flour if necessary to get a dough that is elastic and does not stick to the hands
- cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel, and leave it to prove until double it size ( see photo 6)
- divide the dough into 6, and shape balls out of the dough
- arrange them onto a baking tray, leaving enough room around for a second proving
- brush the buns with egg wash, and bake in the preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit) for 14-15 minutes or until the top is golden
Expert tips
Whether you are baking with a lean or enriched dough, the temperature will always be crucial if you want to get fluffy bread that is light and airy. Leave the dough to prove in a warm place, that will ensure a quick rise and a light texture.
Underproved, and the buns will be tough and heavy, rather than light. On the other hand, overproving has its downfalls too. If proved for too long, the buns will flatten out.
It is also important to knead the dough well until the dough is elastic and it springs back when you press lightly on it, that can take at least 5 minutes to achieve the perfect texture.
Always weigh your ingredients, as the flour can be different depending on the brand used. Some can be denser than others, which will impact its weight.
Do not used too much ground cardamom, as it can be overpowering, we want a lovely spiced touch and a subtle sweetness.
Other Enriched Dough Breads
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Cardamom Brioche Buns
Ingredients
- 250 g strong white bread flour ( 2 cups)
- 125 ml milk (½ cup)
- 2 teaspoon dried fast-action yeast
- 2 eggs
- 20 g butter (1 ½ tbsp)
- 50 g granulated sugar (¼ cup)
- 1 ½ tsp ground cardamom
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Instructions
- Warm up the milk to just warm to touch, not hot.
- Add it to a jug together with the yeast, a tablespoon of flour and a tablespoon of sugar.
- Mix everything well and set it aside for 15 minutes or until frothy.
- Sift the flour in a large mixing bowl, add the sugar and ground cardamom, and mix well.
- Add the soft butter, one egg and the yeast mixture, and knead well into a dough that is elastic and does not stick to the hands - you might need to add more flour if the dough is too sticky.
- Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel, and leave it to prove in a warm place for 2 hours or until the dough doubles in size.
- Divide the dough in 6, and shape out balls.
- Arrange them on a baking tray, allowing plenty of room between each bun.
- Set it aside for 30 minutes for the buns to rise again.
- Beat the second egg well, and brush each risen bun with egg wash.
- Bake in the preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit) for 14-15 minutes or until golden.
- Remove the buns from the oven and leave them to cool down completely on a cooling rack.
Video
Notes
- Leave the dough to prove in a warm place, that will ensure a quick rise and a light texture.
- Underproved, and the buns will be tough and heavy, rather than light. On the other hand, overproving has its downfalls too. If proved for too long, the buns will flatten out.
- Always weigh your ingredients, as the flour can be different depending on the brand used. Some can be denser than others, which will impact its weight.
- Do not used too much ground cardamom, as it can be overpowering, we want a lovely spiced touch and a subtle sweetness.
Nutrition
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