RECIPE: A Taste of Iceland in my Canadian Kitchen! Icelandic cinnamon rolls

Anyone who has been to Reykjavik, Iceland, has no doubt heard about Brauð & Co. These are a fantastic set of bakeries famous for their bread and freshly baked dessert offerings, like kanilsnúðar — Danish-inspired Icelandic cinnamon rolls. Classics are a staple, but the bakers aren’t shy about trying new things. Even the most traditional recipe has an innovative option. In addition, their cool Frakkastígur store front is immediately recognizable.

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Traditional snúður are huge, fluffy Icelandic cinnamon roll covered with chocolate, caramel, or pink icing. They are flatter and wider than North American cinnamon rolls, and are spread out on baking sheets, instead of mushed together like monkey bread. They are often ordered with kókómjólk, which is Icelandic chocolate milk.

The ones at Brauð & Co are a little different, however, because they do not have any icing. It is not needed, as their rolls are already packed with flavour already. Besides cinnamon, the have some unique variations such as berries and licorice, orange and almond, and even granola. They use organic flour and lots of real butter (apparently 250-300 kilos a week) in their baking, but occasionally have vegan options. They have a daily rotating menu and aren’t afraid to test out new interesting recipes.

Every time I have visited, they barely have time to move their rolls from the cooling racks to the display cases, as people are always lined up for them. In fact, their rolls are so popular that they sell over 1000 of them on Saturdays alone!

My personal favourite is their Bláberja & Lakkrís (blueberry & licorice) roll. They sometimes swap out blueberry with raspberry and it is just as delicious!

My Own Recipe

I thought it would be fun to try and recreate these rolls in my own kitchen across the pond, using sourdough discard from a five year old starter given to me by Almanac. They are a local family-owned flour and grain company that can be found at the Ottawa Farmers’ Market. They are currently offering home deliveries!

While not quite at the bakery’s level, I think that my version is a pretty good substitute until my next visit. Crispy on the outside, with a gooey-chewy inside, it’s hard not to eat the entire batch in one sitting!

Without further ado, here is the delicious Iceland dessert recipe. Note that they were prepared the day before so that I could pop them in the oven first thing in the morning, for a toasty freshly-baked breakfast. They still retain their texture the next day. UPDATE: This post has been approved and shared by Brauð & Co on their social media accounts too!

INGREDIENTS

For the dough

1 cup active sourdough starter, room temp

1/3 cup warm water

1 cup warm milk

4 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 large egg, room temp

1 tsp salt

Filling + Topping

Berry jam of choice (I used Yorkshire raspberry), preferably with no or very small chunks of fruit

Licorice powder

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a mixing bowl, combine starter, water, milk, and 3 cups of flour. Mix to form a soft sticky dough. Cover bowl with a towel and set aside to rise for 30 minutes.
2. Add sugar, melted butter, egg, and salt to dough. Add the rest of the flour little by little while mixing. If using a stand mixer, use the dough hook and set to “low”. If mixing by hand, knead the mixture into a smooth ball. The dough should become soft and elastic, clearing the sides of the bowl. If the dough remains too sticky, you can add a little more flour, up to 1/4 cup more than what is in recipe.
3. Lightly oil another bowl and transfer dough over. Turn the dough to cover it with oil. Cover bowl with towel and set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes.
4. Uncover bowl, lift a corner of the dough and pull into middle of the ball. Do the same with the other three sides, then flip the dough over. Cover bowl with towel and let rest for 30 minutes. Repeat procedure and let rest for 60 minutes. Repeat procedure again and let rest for 60 minutes. Repeat the procedure a fourth time. The dough should be elastic and airy. If it seems sluggish, you can let it rest for another couple of hours.
5. Turn dough on a lightly floured surface. Without kneading out the air, roll the dough into a 45cm x 40cm rectangle.
6. Generously spread jam in an even layer all the way to the edge of the dough.
7. Working from the long side, tightly roll the dough into a log, making sure that it’s of even thickness.
8. Use a serrated knife to cut the log into 8-12 buns, depending on the desired size (I wanted mine to be particularly large, so I cut mine into eight).
9. Cover a baking sheet or two in parchment paper. Place buns far apart on sheet(s) — you don’t want them to touch when they bake. Using the palm of your hand, press down on the rolls (admittedly, I forgot to do that this time). Cover with plastic wrap and put in your fridge overnight.
10. In the morning, take the pan our of the fridge. Do not panic if there is liquid from the jam on the bottom — it will turn into a delicious sticky bottom when baked. Allow buns to reach room temperature for about 2 hours. Generously sprinkle on powdered licorice.
11. Preheat the oven to 350°F (190°C). Bake until bread outside is a medium to dark golden brown, about 30 minutes for smaller buns, up for 45 minutes for large buns. Keep an eye to make sure jam does not burn.
12. Remove Icelandic cinnamon rolls from baking sheet and let cool for a few minutes. Enjoy while still warm.