Ingredients

• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter (for the dough)
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups bread flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fast-acting yeast
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (for filling)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for filling and topping)
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1 egg, beaten (for brushing)

Equipment

• Small saucepan
• Large mixing bowl
• Bench scraper
• Rolling pin
• Muffin tin or baking sheet with liners
• Pastry brush

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan, heat the 7 tablespoons butter with the milk and salt over low heat until the butter melts, then set aside to cool until just lukewarm (hot liquid would kill the yeast).
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, bread flour, yeast, cardamom, and 1 tablespoon sugar so the yeast and spice are evenly distributed.
3. Make a well in the center, crack in the 2 eggs, and pour in the lukewarm milk mixture. Stir until a sticky dough forms, switching to your hands as it stiffens.
4. Rub a teaspoon of olive oil over your work surface, turn the dough out, and knead vigorously for 5 to 8 minutes, using a scraper to lift it as needed. Resist adding flour, which makes dry buns; keep going until the dough is smoother, springier, and far less sticky.
5. Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a greased bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour, until doubled in size.
6. Meanwhile, mash the 5 tablespoons softened butter with 1/4 cup of the sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon using a fork until fully blended into a spreadable paste.
7. In a separate small bowl, stir the remaining 1/4 cup sugar with the remaining 1 tablespoon cinnamon and set this topping aside.
8. Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently roll it into a rectangle about 14 by 9 1/2 inches. Spread the cinnamon butter evenly all the way to the edges with a palette knife.
9. With the long edge facing you, roll the dough into a tight cylinder, then cut it into 12 even slices with a sharp knife.
10. Set each slice into a greased muffin cup or onto a flattened paper liner on a baking sheet (muffin tins give taller, domed buns). Cover and let rise again for 30 to 45 minutes, until puffy.
11. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Brush the tops with beaten egg and dust generously with the reserved cinnamon sugar. Bake for about 12 minutes, until deep golden-brown. Serve warm.