Korvapuusti
Korvapuusti is the Finnish cinnamon and cardamom bun, whose name literally translates as "slap on the ear" or "beaten ear" — a playful name reflecting the distinctive, finger-pressed way the bun is shaped, giving it a form vaguely resembling a flattened ear. This bun is closely tied to the Finnish concept of fika, the social coffee break considered an almost sacred cultural institution in everyday life in Finland. The flavours of cardamom and cinnamon, combined with the butter-rich yeasted dough, create a bun far more fragrant than the plain cinnamon rolls common in other Nordic countries. Practically every café, bakery and home kitchen in Finland has its own variant, and the size, exact shape of the "ear" and intensity of the cardamom flavour are subjects of passionate debate among Finnish pastry lovers, with korvapuusti considered by many to be the best representation of everyday Finnish culinary spirit.
Cardamom dough
A yeasted dough fragrant with ground cardamom
Cinnamon filling
Cinnamon-sugar butter rolled inside
Ear shape
Folded and cut so it resembles an ear
Pearl sugar
Sprinkled with crunchy pearl sugar on top
Ingredients 4 servings
- 500 g flour
- 25 g fresh yeast
- 200 ml warm milk
- 80 g sugar
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 100 g soft butter, plus 100 g for the filling
- 1 large egg
- 3 tbsp ground cinnamon
- Pearl sugar for decoration
How to make it
- 1Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk with a teaspoon of sugar and let it foam for 10 minutes.
- 2Mix the flour with the remaining sugar and ground cardamom in a large bowl, make a well and add the dissolved yeast, the egg and 100 g soft butter.
- 3Knead the dough for 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic, then cover and let rise in a warm place for an hour.
- 4Beat the remaining soft butter with the ground cinnamon and a little sugar until it becomes a creamy, spreadable paste.
- 5Roll out the risen dough into a large rectangle on a floured surface, then spread the cinnamon paste evenly over the whole surface.
- 6Roll the dough tightly from the long edge to form a log, then cut it into slices about 3 cm thick, at a slight diagonal angle.
- 7Press two fingers into the middle of each slice, creating the characteristic ear shape, then place on a lined tray.
- 8Let rise again for 30 minutes, brush with beaten egg, sprinkle with pearl sugar and bake at 200°C for 12-15 minutes, until golden.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
