Fika is somewhat of a twice-daily Swedish institution. It can be compared to elevenses in the worlds of Winnie the Pooh, Paddington Bear, and Middle Earth. I’ve heard it said that in Sweden “fika isn’t just a coffee break, it’s a lifestyle”.
The American coffee break is all about fueling up so we can go faster and accomplish even more.
Swedish fika is an opportunity to slow down, socialize, and refresh the body, mind and spirit. It’s an opportunity to embrace life, rather than rush thru it.
Americans have gotten into the habit of grabbing a paper to-go cup filled with overpriced java and a candy bar or donut for fuel.
Swedes will pack an ultra-modern-design thermos, real cups, and several treats to enjoy on the train, alongside the road, or on the beach with friends, coworkers, and family members.
Swedish coffee is brewed to be intensely strong, but never seems to be bitter. And on the typical menu for fika is kanelbullar – wonderful little cinnamon rolls topped with pearl sugar.
(I love my new baking towel from Jennie! Bröd means bread, of course…)
While in Sweden, Jennie and I baked “bullar” following a similar recipe to this with a prepackaged gluten free flour from the local grocery store. The results were amazing!
Since returning home, I’ve tried with several different flour blends, and struggled to get equal results. I tried my gluten free flour blend, which was too “whole grain” and crumbly for a sweet dough like this. Then I made a lighter flour blend which tasted wonderful and had great texture when baked, but the dough wasn’t as manageable as I would have liked. At one point I got so frustrated that I yelled, “I HATE CHEMISTRY!!!”
Sigh….. It’s okay. I was home alone, so no one was disturbed by my outburst.
Of all the blends I’ve tried, two stick out as the best. One is the fine flour I can purchase in bulk at the local co-op. The other is Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 baking flour. If you use Bob’s, just add another tablespoon of butter to the dough. I’m not sure how one flour can be more drying than another, but that’s the way it is. If you have access to “Finax glutenfri mjölmix”, then I envy you! No other gluten free flour blend makes such excellent bullar.
Once the dough is ready, there are many ways you can make the rolls. Two of the most traditional are:
Roll out half the dough into a large and thin rectangle. Carefully spread half the filling all over the dough, then roll into a long and narrow roll. Cut into 24 pieces and put onto the pan (or into muffin papers).
Another method is to roll out half the dough into a large and thin rectangle. Spread half the filling on HALF the dough. Fold the plain dough over the side with filling. Cut into 24 narrow strips. Twist each strip, then roll into a knot. Place those into muffin papers or directly onto a pan.
Whichever style you make, brush each one with an egg wash and sprinkle on some pearl sugar (I buy Lars brand in the ethnic aisle at our local grocery store, or at IKEA). Bake quickly in a super-hot oven.
Make sure you take some time to establish the wonderful routine of fika in your every day life!
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Kanelbullar – Swedish Cinnamon Rolls – Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 2 cups milk
- 50 grams fresh yeast (or 5 tsp dry yeast)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 6 cups flour (or gluten free flour blend)
- 9 Tbsp butter, at room temperature
- 1 egg
- Pearl sugar
- For the filling:
- 9 Tbsp butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Heat the milk to 100 degrees
- Crumble the yeast into the bowl of a stand mixer, then add the warmed milk, stirring until yeast is dissolved
- Add sugar, salt, cardamom, and most of the flour – saving some for later – and mix with the dough hook until combined
- Add the butter, cut into tablespoon sized pieces
- Beat the dough at higher speed for a couple minutes, until it’s smooth
- Cover with a cloth and let the dough rise until doubled, about 30 minutes
- Stir together the filling ingredients
- Pour out the dough onto a floured work surface and gently knead until smooth and not too sticky
- Divide the dough into 2 equal parts
- Roll out half the dough on a floured surface and proceed as desired — following suggestions on the blog, or your own creative directions
- Once rolls are formed, beat the egg with a fork and brush on each roll, then sprinkle with pearl sugar
- Let the rolls rise 20-30 minutes, while the oven preheats to 450 degrees
- Bake for 8-12 minutes, then cool on a rack with towel covering them
- Store in the freezer for best freshness
