Cardamom Choux Puffs
A cross-over of Swedish cardamom buns and French chouquettes, these moreish choux puffs (made with the Ankarsrum Stand Mixer) are perfect for an afternoon coffee break, known as fika in Sweden. This recipe has been adapted from the Cinnamon Puffs recipe from Dorie Greenspan's cookbook Baking with Dorie (Harvest Books, 2021).
Makes about 50 puffs
Ingredients
120ml water120ml milk
113g unsalted butter
25g sugar
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
3-4 cardamom pods
140g plain flour
4 large eggs
1 large egg white
Pearl sugar, for sprinkling
Method
- Preheat oven to 160°C fan. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment.
- Using a pestle and mortar, crack the cardamom pods open and bruise slightly, but keep the green shells intact.
- Put the water, milk, butter, sugar, salt and cracked cardamom pods in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, mixing with a flexible heatproof spatula to prevent scorching. As soon as the butter has melted, use a strainer to remove the cardamom and discard.
- Add the flour and beat until the dough starts to form a cohesive mass, about 4 minutes.
- Turn the dough out into the clear bowl of the Ankarsrum stand mixer and affix the cookie whisk attachments. Mix on medium-low and add whole eggs one at a time, beating for a minute after each egg goes in. Finally, add the egg white and beat for about 1 minute, until you have a smooth, shiny dough.
- Using two spoons, lift a small ball of dough and scrape it onto one of the lined baking sheets. Repeat for the rest of the dough, leaving an inch between each mound. Sprinkle each puff with pearl sugar and bake for 25 minutes. Then turn off the oven and keep the oven door open just a crack, for 5 minutes.
- Remove them from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet until they are at warm or room temperature. Serve with hot coffee on the day they are made. If you serve them the next day, make sure to warm them first at 160°C fan for 5-10 minutes so they become airy again.
BK Tips
- If you want perfectly round pieces of dough, place the dough in a piping bag and pipe about two teaspoons of dough for each puff, straight onto the parchment-lined baking sheet.