What is korvapuusti?

Korvapuusti means “slap on the ears” in Finnish. Korvapuusti is a Finnish cinnamon roll shaped like slapped ears. They are sweet enriched dough scented with cardamom, filled with buttery cinnamon sugar, rolled up like cinnamon rolls, cut into triangle shapes, and pressed down in the middle to shape like it is.

In the Scandinavian countries, there are sweet rolls/buns like the Swedish kanelbullar, kanelsnegl in Denmark, kanelbolle in Norway, and korvapuusti in Finland. Korvapuusti is a big deal in Finland, and it’s well-beloved by the locals. Finns even celebrate Korvapuustipäivä annually on October 4th!

Korvapuustit (plural), or Finnish cinnamon rolls, are topped with pearl sugar and use cardamom in the dough. The other cinnamon roll recipes that most people are familiar with—at least all American recipes that I am familiar with—are topped with glaze or icing.

I use the same dough recipe to make pulla (Finnish cardamom coffee bread) to make korvapuusti. In fact, the same dough is used to make many sweet buns/rolls in Finland.

This is what you will need to make korvapuusti and Finnish pulla:

• 5 dl milk
• 1.5-2 dl sugar**)
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1-1.5 tbsp cardamom (if possible, use freshly ground cardamon. It tastes much better and makes a huge difference)
• 13-14 dl semi-coarse wheat flour
• 2 packets (11 g each) dry yeast (OR 1 packet = 50 g fresh yeast crumbled)*)
• 100-150 g room temperature butter OR 1-1.5 dl liquid fat (less for deep-fried donuts, more for oven-baked buns)
• pearl sugar

*) 50 g fresh yeast equals 2 packets of dry yeast. **) The amount of sugar can be adjusted by half a deciliter either way, depending on what you are baking. You can reduce the sugar to 1 ½ dl if you make cinnamon rolls. For small round buns, the amount can be as much as 2 ½ dl. The softer you leave the dough = the less flour you use, the softer the buns will be. Proper gluten development is crucial; you will achieve it by kneding it long!

For the filling, you will need the following:

1. Take 125 g of butter out of the refrigerator in advance to bring it to room temperature. So that it is easy to spread with a knife.
2. Mix 2 dl sugar and 4 tbs cinnamon into the softened butter and set aside.

Instructions:

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan or microwave.
2. Warm the milk to body temperature (37 degrees Celsius). If using dry yeast, the recommended milk temperature is 42 degrees Celsius. Note! Do not destroy the yeast with milk that is too hot! The lukewarm liquid is a lesser evil, as you can make the buns even with cold milk – just expect a longer rising time.
3. Measure all the ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
4. Start with less flour, adding a little more if needed towards the end of kneading. Knead the dough at the lowest speed of the stand mixer for 25-30 minutes. The dough is ready when it no longer sticks to your fingers and can be stretched into an almost transparent “window.” Gluten development contributes to the dough’s workability and rising. If kneading by hand, work the dough until it is smooth, shiny, and has lost most of its stickiness.
5. Cover the dough bowl with a cloth and let it rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes until it has doubled. A microwave or cold oven is a good, draft-free place for rising.

You can use this basic pulla dough in many Finnish pulla recipes. I have tried many recipes and this works best!

Now, let’s make KORVAPUUSTI!

1. Divide the dough into two parts. Handle one part at a time.
2. Roll the dough into a thin sheet using flour as needed (35 x 70 cm). Follow the given measurements to ensure the sheet is thin enough and has enough layers for the rolls.
3. Spread half of the filling on the sheet. Optionally, sprinkle some cardamom and almond powder on top.
4. Roll the dough from the longer side and pinch the seam tightly closed.
5. Cut the roll into slanted pieces alternately to the right and left. The sharper you cut the slanted pieces, the better the cinnamon rolls will open up when baking.
6. Turn the pieces so that the narrower side is facing upward.
7. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
8. Press the center with two fingers to the bottom so the cut surface puffs outward.
9. Prepare the other half of the dough in the same way.
10. Let the buns rise, covered with a cloth, for at least 30 to 45 minutes.
11. For the TOPPING. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with pearl sugar.
12. Bake at 200 degrees Celsius, depending on the size of the rolls, for 12–15 minutes. If your oven has very efficient top heaters, it may be necessary to cover the oven with foil towards the end of baking to ensure the rolls cook inside without burning on the surface.