Finnish Cinnamon Rolls

Melt the butter in the microwave, and heat the milk to 40 degrees Celsius until slightly warm to the touch. Measure all the ingredients.

Peel off the white cardamom skin, and finely chop the seeds inside. The finer the better.

Mix the egg, yeast, white cardamom, and sugar with a whisk until thick. No need to beat until foamy.

Add the heated milk to the mixture in step 3, and mix well.

Gradually add the flour to the mixture in step 4, mixing it into a dough. Once it forms a smooth dough, add the butter in batches and knead into a stretchy dough. Using a bread machine's kneading function is recommended.

After forming a smooth dough, cover with cling film and leave in a warm place to proof for 1 hour until the dough doubles in size.

Take out the dough, flatten to remove air, and roll into a rectangular sheet.

Spread melted butter, sugar, and cinnamon powder on the dough sheet in sequence. Leave about 3cm at the top and bottom edges uncoated to avoid difficulty sealing.

Roll the dough sheet tightly, bit by bit, and seal the edge securely.

Cut the rolled dough into 8 equal parts, shaping them like wedges.

Gently press the rolls down with your pinky finger to form the desired shape, as shown.

Cover with a heavily wrung-out damp cloth, and let it proof in a warm place for another 20 minutes.

Brush the rolls with egg wash, and sprinkle a pinch of waffle sugar and almond slices on top.

Preheat the oven to 180°C, and bake for 15 minutes. Rotate midway to ensure even coloring. If the color isn't deep enough, you can increase the temperature to 190°C and bake for another 3–5 minutes. Adjust based on your oven's properties—some ovens run hotter, and 180°C for 15 minutes may be sufficient.