Cardamom Buns

Method

Warm the milk to body temperature and dissolve the yeast with a pinch of sugar, then let stand for 10 minutes until frothy. Crush the cardamom pods and extract the seeds, grinding them to a fine powder. Mix the flour, salt, and ground cardamom together, then combine with the yeast mixture, remaining sugar, and softened butter, kneading until smooth and elastic for about 10 minutes. Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for approximately 90 minutes until doubled. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, shape each into a bun by rolling into a ball, then place on greased baking trays. Cover and prove for 45 minutes until puffy. Brush each bun with beaten egg yolk and sprinkle generously with pearl sugar and flaked almonds. Bake at 200°C for 12-15 minutes until golden brown and a skewer inserted comes out clean.