Description
Sticky, sweet (but not too sweet), and utterly delicious, these sourdough cardamom rolls use yudane—similar to tangzhong—to bring them extra tenderness. The cardamom-infused simple syrup is a different way to dress the typical roll and adds an added hint of sweetness with a captivating aroma.
Ingredients
Pre-cooked Flour (Yudane)
- 101g all-purpose flour
- 106 water
Dough
- 404g all-purpose flour
- 136g butter, unsalted and at room temperature
- 131g milk, whole
- 131g eggs
- 25g sugar, caster
- 3g cardamom, ground
- 10g salt
- 152g sourdough starter
Filling
- 30g butter, unsalted and melted
- 90g brown sugar
- 2g (1 tsp) cinnamon, ground
- 1g (1/2 tsp) cardamom, ground
Cardamom-infused Simple Syrup
- 100g sugar, granulated
- 45g water
- 2g (1 tsp) cardamom, ground
Instructions
- Pre-cook flour, yudane (8:00 a.m.)
Add the flour listed in the Pre-cooked Flour (Yudane) section to a small heat-proof mixing bowl. Boil the water and pour it over the flour in the bowl. Stir or whisk until the mixture tightens up and all dry bits are incorporated. Let the pre-gelatinized flour cool on the counter until mixing. - Mix (9:00 a.m.)
Cut the butter into 1/4″ pats and let warm to room temperature while mixing the ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, add the milk, flour, sourdough starter, eggs, sugar, yudane, cardamom, and salt. Mix on speed 1 to 2 minutes until incorporated. Increase the speed to 2 and mix for 5 to 6 minutes until the dough begins to clump around the dough hook (but not completely). Let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Turn the mixer on to speed 1 and add the butter, one pat at a time, waiting to add each until the previous is absorbed. Continue until all the butter is added and the dough is shiny and smooth; this could take around 5 to 8 minutes. - Bulk fermentation (9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.)
Transfer the mixed dough to a bulk container and let ferment for 3 hours at 75ºF (23°C). Perform 3 sets of stretch and folds at 30-minute intervals. - Chill dough (12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.)
Place the covered bulk fermentation container into the fridge for at least 1 hour to thoroughly chill. - Shape rolls (1:30 p.m.)
First, make the filling. In a bowl, mix the filling ingredients and set aside. Next, take out your dough from the fridge, lightly flour your work surface and the dough, and roll out to a 15×15″ square with a long side closest to your body. Spread the filling evenly over the dough. roll the dough up away from you into a tight log. Cut the log into 9 pieces, about every 1 1/2″. Transfer the cut pieces to a baking pan with space around each one and cover. - Cold Proof (2:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.)
Place the covered pan into the refrigerator to proof overnight. - Warm Proof (7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.)
The next morning, take the pan out of the refrigerator 3 hours before you want to bake the cardamom rolls and let the dough proof on the counter or in a warm proofer. - Bake (10:00 a.m.)
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Slide the rolls into the oven once preheated and bake for 30-35 minutes. While your rolls are baking, prepare the simple syrup. Combine the simple syrup ingredients in a saucepan and heat until boiling. Remove from the heat and let cool until ready to use. You will have some leftover syrup. When the rolls are finished baking, remove the oven, spread the glaze on the rolls’ tops, and let cool in the pan.
Notes
This recipe uses pre-ground cardamom. If you’re using freshly ground cardamom, you might need to reduce the amount in the dough, filling, and/or glaze.