Finnish Butter Buns

Preheat oven to 430 degrees.

Dissolve yeast into warm milk in a mixing bowl. Add sugar, salt, cardamom and one egg and mix well. Add half of the flour and stir into a soft dough. Mix softened butter into the dough and add as much from the rest of the flour as is needed. The dough is ready when it no longer sticks to the bowl or to your fingers. Cover the mixing bowl with a kitchen towel and leave the dough to rise in a warm place for at least 30 minutes.

Pour the dough onto a floured baking board, knead well. Form a long “sausage” and cut into 20 pieces. Roll pieces into bun shapes and place on baking trays (leave some space to allow the buns to rise without sticking to one another) covered with greased waxed paper. Leave the buns to rise for 30 minutes.

Brush the buns carefully with the other (beaten) egg. Press down the centers of the buns lightly with your thumb to form a hole. Fill each hole with 1 teaspoon of butter and 1 teaspoon of sugar. You may reduce the amount of butter and sugar to 1/2 teaspoon of each according to your taste.

Bake the buns at 430 degrees on the middle rack, for 10 – 15 minutes, until golden brown. Set aside to cool.