Finnish small sweet rolls (Pikkupullat)

Ingredients for 10 servings:

• 2 dl milk
• 25 g yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 500 g wheat flour
• 1 egg(s)
• ¾ tsp salt
• 75 g sugar
• 1 tsp cardamom
• ½ dl oil (or 75 g melted, but not hot, margarine)
• 1 egg(s), beaten, for brushing
• Granulated sugar or chopped hazelnuts for sprinkling

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Rest time approx. 2 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 10 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours 25 minutes

Warm the milk to lukewarm, add the yeast, and mix. Stir in 1 teaspoon of sugar and 200g of flour. Let this pre-dough rise in a warm place for about 10 minutes. Add the egg, salt, 75g of sugar, and cardamom. Knead in the remaining 300g of flour by hand. Add oil or margarine and knead by hand until the dough releases from the bowl and hands. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour. Roll into individual rolls and place on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm place. Preheat the oven to 250°C (top/bottom heat). Beat an egg, brush the rolls with it, and sprinkle with sugar or chopped hazelnuts. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown. This is an original Finnish recipe that no breakfast should be without (and has often saved me from the fact that the bread here is terrible).