Voisilmäpulla (Finnish Butter Eye Buns)
A recipe for Voisilmäpulla (Finnish Butter Eye Buns)! These golden, cardamom-scented buns have a center bursting with butter and sugar.
Servings 18 -20 Voisilmäpullat
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 teaspoons (7 grams) active dry yeast
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) lukewarm milk 105-115˚F, 40-46˚C
- 3 1/2 cups (440 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (67 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons (4 grams) ground cardamom preferably freshly ground
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter softened at room temperature
- 1 large egg
Topping:
- 1 large egg
- 5 tablespoons (73 grams) salted or unsalted butter cold
- Pearl Sugar raesokeri
- 3 1/2 tablespoons (43 grams) granulated sugar
Instructions
To form the buns:
- In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the lukewarm milk. Stir briefly to combine, then allow to sit at room temperature until frothy, about 10 minutes.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cardamom, and salt.
- Mix in the softened butter, egg, and frothy yeast with milk to bring together the dough.
- On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until soft and smooth. After mixing, if the dough is still too crumbly and just won't come together, add a splash more lukewarm milk at a time. If just too sticky to handle, slowly add just a little more flour.
- Place the dough back in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a towel, and allow to rise at room temperature until doubled, about 2 hours.
To assemble:
- Preheat oven to 400˚F (200˚C). Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment or lightly grease.
- Divide the dough into pieces about the size of a golf ball (45 grams/1.5 ounces each), to make 18-20 in all.
- Form each piece into a smooth ball and place on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches (5 centimeters) apart. Cover with a large towel and allow to rise at room temperature until puffed, about 30 minutes.
- In a small bowl, beat the egg until smooth. Brush the egg over each puffed bun.
- Cut the butter into 5 separate tablespoon slices, then cut each tablespoon into 4 equal squares to make 20 squares in all.
- Press each square of butter into the center of each bun.
- Pour 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of granulated sugar directly over each cube of butter in the bun. If desired, sprinkle pearl sugar around the edges.
- Bake the voisilmäpullat in the preheated oven until golden, about 12-14 minutes.
- Allow to cool slightly on a wire rack and serve warm with milk or coffee.