Add ground cardamom, sugar, and salt. Mix to combine.
Add fresh yeast and sourdough starter. Mix to combine.
Add flour (go for some wholemeal for added flavor, but stick to
mainly roller milled or stoneground wheat). Mix it together by hand
or machine until all flour is absorbed.
Rest covered for 15-30 minutes.
Now it’s time to add butter. Using a cheese slicer, add half at
first and knead it in until incorporated. Then add the rest using
the same method. This can be hard workout, but totally worth it in
the end, making the buns even juicier and softer.
Rest an hour covered. Pour the dough on the bench and fold it
over itself, into a package. Use tension pulls to make a big tight
ball, then transfer into a clean bowl.
The goal is to have a very relaxed dough at shaping, so let it
rest for 3-4 hours in room temperature now, untouched.
Filling
Prepare the filling during the wait: Mix butter, sugar, and
ground cardamom or cinnamon until smooth. Let it stay in room temp
until it’s time to shape.
Shape & Proof
Pour dough onto a lightly floured surface. Stretch it to a rough
square, then roll it out with a rolling pin into a larger rectangle
(30x40cm).
Spread the filling over the rectangle using a large spatula or
soft dough scraper.
Fold the sides in towards the middle, making them overlap at the
center. Three layers of dough and two layers of filling. Roll out
once more to a larger rectangle.
Cut stripes of 75-80g dough (about 2cm wide). Roll them into a
knot and place on an oven tray with space in between for
proofing.
Cover with plastic or a wet linen cloth and let it proof until
about double size.
Bake
Egg wash the buns before baking and sprinkle with ground
cardamom and granulated sugar.