Pumpkin Pie Cinnamon Buns

 Ingredients:

For the Dough:

• 500g flour
• 180g milk
• 80g sugar
• 3g salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 90g soft butter
• 42g yeast (1 cube)
• 8g cardamom (coarsely ground)

For the Filling:

• 150g butter (soft)
• 50g dark brown sugar (like muscovado)
• 30g sugar
• 10g cinnamon powder
• 5g cardamom (ground)

For the Pumpkin Pie Purée:

• 400g pumpkin purée
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 1 vanilla bean (scraped)
• 80g sugar

For the Spice Sugar Glaze:

• 100g powdered sugar
• 30g pumpkin pie purée
• 20g almond milk

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Dough:

   • Warm the milk until slightly warm (not hot). Dissolve the yeast in the milk.
   • Mix flour, sugar, salt, eggs, vanilla extract, butter, and cardamom in the bowl of your mixer.
   • Add the milk with dissolved yeast to the mixture. Mix on low speed for 5-6 minutes until the dough is smooth and doesn’t stick to the bowl.
   • Cover the bowl with cling film and let the dough rise for about 2 hours, until it triples in size.

2. Prepare the Fillings:

   • Filling: Mix butter, dark brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon powder, and cardamom until smooth.
   • Pumpkin Pie Purée: Combine all ingredients in a pot, simmer on low heat until reduced by half, stirring regularly. Cool before using.

3. Assemble the Buns:

   • Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about 1 cm thick.
   • Spread the cinnamon filling evenly over the dough, then spread the pumpkin pie purée on top.
   • Fold the dough in half horizontally and cut into 2 cm strips.
   • Braid 3 strips together and twist into a bun (like a snail). Place in prepared molds or on a baking tray.
   • Let the buns rise for about 30 minutes.
   • Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired.

4. Bake:

   • Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
   • Let cool completely.

5. Glaze:

   • Mix powdered sugar, pumpkin pie purée, and almond milk until smooth.
   • Drizzle over cooled buns and let set for about 10 minutes.

Enjoy your pumpkin pie cinnamon buns! They sound like the perfect treat for fall.