Rich, buttery and flaky, this rolled Swedish cardamom coffee cake tea ring is great for anytime of day! If you love the flakiness of puff pastry and the flavor of cardamom, look no further than this Swedish coffee cake ring. It will delight any one who tries it, whether having it for breakfast with coffee or as a treat with friends.
Growing up in a family of mostly Dutch and Irish heritage, I didn’t know a lot about the different Scandinavian foods (much less Swedish). When I started dating my husband whose heritage is Swedish and then later married him, my knowledge on Swedish cooking significantly increased!
Since then I’ve looked up recipes in different books to see if I can replicate any family recipes that my husband remembers his Grandma making. In the process, I’ve come across quite a few recipes that our family has come to love and this Swedish coffee cake tea ring, with its puff pastry dough and cardamom flavor, is one of them!
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Swedish Coffee Cakes vs. Tea Rings
I have made a lot of coffee cakes from recipes. Many of them have a batter that you put into a baking pan, and then sprinkle a streusel on top either while it is baking or afterwards.
Tea rings are yeasted dough that is rolled up with a filling, usually with nuts in it, and baked. The fillings can vary to include other spices, like cinnamon, or be rather plain to let the taste of the cardamom in the dough itself stand out.
Can it be both?
Yes, this Swedish recipe can! The original recipe was just listed as a coffee cake in the cookbook, but in the shape of a tea ring, and filled as a tea ring is. I believe the name of it being a “coffee cake” originally had to do with what paired well with it – coffee! As I learned from my husband, Swedes love their coffee!
While stealing both titles, however, this Swedish coffee cake tea ring dough is neither like coffee cakes OR tea rings.
Rather, the dough is more similar to puff pastry, like you would make for strudels or danishes. You make a puff pastry dough, roll it out, fill it with a filling of your choice and then bake it.
The result is rich and flakey baked good that is tastes amazing!
Which Cardamom do you use?
Cardamom is one spice that I have found used in a lot of Swedish baking. I never used it until I started baking for my husband, and I love it!
The flavor of cardamom is not overpowering, and yet a very present and pleasant spice with floral accents. I even have started putting it in other baked goods such as adding a pinch of it to my cinnamom rolls.
Now, there are two different kinds of cardamom, but Swedish baking and cooking (along with other Scandinavian countries) uses the green cardamom and not the black cardamom.
When looking for cardamom in the grocery stores around the Midwest, I typically don’t find cardamom labeled as black or green. It’s simply labeled “cardamom”. Green cardamom, however, is typically used in baking that is what almost all grocery stores carry.
Puff Pastry Dough
If you are new to puff pastry, no worries! This Swedish coffee cake tea ring recipe doesn’t take quite so long with only requiring 4 turns instead of 6-7 turns as some other puff pastries do.
Another thing about this Swedish coffee cake tea ring is I don’t worry as much if the butter squishes out. In the end, you will be rolling your dough up with the filling before baking. Usually, my mistakes with this dough don’t even show!
If it helps to see the process with a different recipe in a video, I recommend this video to watch.
Equipment needed
- Pastry Blender
- Rolling Pin
- Stand Mixer (not required, but nice to have)
- Liquid & Dry Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Bench scraper
- Baking sheet, rimmed
Ingredients
- Eggs
- Yeast
- Water
- All purpose flour
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Salt
- Butter
- Spices – Cardamom, Cinnamon and Nutmeg
- Vanilla
- Chopped Pecans or Almonds
Directions: Dough
In a bowl, beat your egg. Add in the water and mix in.
Dissolve yeast in the mixture, and set aside for up to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl blend the rest of the dough ingredients (flour, salt, sugar, butter, and cardamom) with a pastry blender until butter is the size of peas. Once butter is the size of peas, make a well in the mixing bowl.
Pour your yeast mixture into the enter and mix it into the dry ingredients.
When the yeast mixture is incorporated and the dough has formed a soft ball, knead on a lightly floured surface for 2 minutes.
Form the dough into a ball again and place it in a mixing bowl. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator for the dough to rest for 20 minutes.
Butter block: With just a few minutes left for the dough to rest, prepare the butter block by beating the 3/4 c. butter until creamy. Leave the butter in the bowl until after the dough is rolled out.
After the 20 minutes, take the dough out and roll out on a lightly floured surface into a rough 9 x 13 rectangle.
Spread the butter block on 2/3 of the rolled dough, leaving 1 inch space around the edges. (I usually spread the butter in the center and then on the right hand side). Fold the left third of the dough over the center butter block, so the edge of the dough ends at the right 1/3 of the dough.
Then, fold the right third over so the edge reaches the folded edge on the left side. Your dough at this point should look like a folded letter.
Turn the dough so your letter fold is horizontal (or 90 degrees). Roll out into a 9 x 13 rectangle again. Repeat the folding process, so it looks like a letter again.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or bees wrap for 10 minutes.
At this point in the process, you have done two turns. You will need to do four turns altogether.
3rd turn: Remove the dough from the refrigerator and take off the plastic wrap. Roll out the dough and fold like a letter again. Wrap and refrigerate 10 more minutes.
4th turn: Repeat this process but after folding the dough, and wrapping it again, refrigerate it this time for 1-2 hours.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator, unwrap, and roll out roughly 29 x 11 inches to prepare it for the filling.
Filling
Prepare the filling ingredients by first creaming the brown sugar and butter together. Mix in the rest of the chopped nuts, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and egg.
Spread the filling evenly over the dough, leaving about 1 inch space around the edges.
Roll the dough up starting at side closest to you. As you roll, you may need to use a bench scraper to lift the dough up, if it is stuck to the surface.
Pinch the farthest edge to the roll to seal the ends.
Take the ends of the roll and bring together to form a ring with the rolled up dough. A little water may be needed to act as glue if the ends are not wanting to stick together.
Place the entire ring on a lined rimmed baking sheet.
With a kitchen shears, make a perpendicular cut the outer half of the ring. Continue to make cuts around the ring about 1-2 inches apart.
As you cut, slightly twist the cut pieces so you can see the filling on the inside.
Once finished, cover with a cloth and let rise for 25 minutes.
Egg Wash & Baking
In a bowl, beat the egg and 1 Tbsp. water or milk together. With a pastry brush, brush the mixture over the coffee cake ring after the 25 minutes of rising time.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake the coffee cake ring for 25 minutes, or until it is golden brown.
Let cool slightly before slicing. Enjoy with coffee, tea or all by itself!
Notes
- You can skip refrigerating the dough in between turns if you are in a hurry, or stick it in the freezer for just a few minutes instead of the full 10 minutes. Be sure to leave it refrigerated for the full time at the end of the 4th turn.
- To make ahead of time, complete all the steps and turns for the dough and leave it wrapped in the refrigerator overnight. Take out and let it sit while you prepare the filling.
- Be sure to use a rimmed baking sheet for the coffee cake ring when baking. The filling will leak out some as the inside is exposed when turning the cuts.
If you like this recipe, I would love it if you gave it 5 stars! Thank you!
Swedish Coffee Cake Tea Ring
Rich, buttery and flaky, this rolled Swedish coffee cake tea ring makes a delectable item anytime of the day!
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 egg
- 1/3 c. warm water
- 1 1/4 tsp. yeast
- 2 c. all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 Tbsp. sugar
- 1/4 c. butter
- 3/4 tsp. ground cardamom
Butter Block
- 3/4 c. butter
Filling
- 1/3 c. brown sugar
- 1/4 c. butter
- 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 1/2 c. chopped pecans or almonds
Egg Wash
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbsp. water or milk
Glaze (optional)
- 1/4 c. powered sugar
- 2 tsp. milk
Instructions
- In a bowl, beat your egg. Add in the water and mix in.
- Dissolve yeast in the mixture, and set aside for up to 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl blend the rest of the dough ingredients (flour, salt, sugar, butter, and cardamom) with a pastry blender until butter is the size of peas.
- Once butter is the size of peas, make a well in the mixing bowl. Pour your yeast mixture into the enter and mix it into the dry ingredients.
- When the yeast mixture is incorporated and the dough has formed a soft ball, knead on a lightly floured surface for 2 minutes.
- Form the dough into a ball again and place it in a mixing bowl. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator for the dough to rest for 20 minutes.
- Butter block: With just a few minutes left for the dough to rest, prepare the butter block by beating the 3/4 c. butter until creamy. Leave the butter in the bowl until after the dough is rolled out.
- After the 20 minutes, take the dough out and roll out on a lightly floured surface into a rough 9 x 13 rectangle.
- Spread the butter block on 2/3 of the rolled dough, leaving 1 inch space around the edges. (I usually spread the butter in the center and then on the right hand side).
- Fold the left third of the dough over the center butter block, so the edge of the dough ends at the right 1/3 of the dough.
- Then, fold the right third over so the edge reaches the folded edge on the left side. Your dough at this point should look like a folded letter.
- Turn the dough so your letter fold is horizontal (or 90 degrees).
- Roll out into a 9 x 13 rectangle again. Repeat the folding process, so it looks like a letter again.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or bees wrap for 10 minutes.
- At this point in the process, you have done two turns. You will need to do four turns altogether.
- 3rd turn: Remove the dough from the refrigerator and take off the plastic wrap. Roll out the dough and fold like a letter again. Wrap and refrigerate 10 more minutes.
- 4th turn: Repeat this process but after folding the dough, and wrapping it again, refrigerate it this time for 1-2 hours.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator, unwrap, and roll out roughly 29 x 11 inches.
- Filling: Prepare the filling ingredients by first creaming the brown sugar and butter together. Mix in the rest of the ingredients.
- Spread the filling evenly over the dough, leaving about 1 inch space around the edges.
- Roll the dough up starting at side closest to you. As you roll, you may need to use a bench scraper to lift the dough up, if it is stuck to the surface.
- Pinch the farthest edge to the roll to seal the ends.
- Take the ends of the roll and bring together to form a ring with the rolled up dough. A little water may be needed to act as glue if the ends are not wanting to stick together.
- Place the entire ring on a lined rimmed baking sheet.
- With a kitchen shears, make a perpendicular cut the outer half of the ring. Continue to make cuts around the ring about 1-2 inches apart.
- As you cut, slightly twist the cut pieces so you can see the filling on the inside.
- Once finished, cover with a cloth and let rise for 25 minutes.
- Egg Wash: In a bowl, beat the egg and 1 Tbsp. water or milk together. With a pastry brush, brush the mixture over the coffee cake ring after the 25 minutes of rising time.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Bake the coffee cake ring for 25 minutes, or until it is golden brown.
- Glaze: If putting a glaze on top, mix the powdered sugar and milk together. Drizzle over the coffee cake.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
1. You can skip refrigerating the dough in between turns if you are in a hurry, or stick it in the freezer for just a few minutes instead of the full 10 minutes. Although be sure to leave it refrigerated for the full time at the end of the 4th turn.
2. To make ahead of time, complete all the steps and turns for the dough and leave it wrapped in the refrigerator overnight. Take out and let it sit while you prepare the filling.
2. Be sure to use a rimmed baking sheet for the coffee cake ring when baking. The filling will leak out some as the inside is exposed when turning the cuts.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 649Total Fat: 48gSaturated Fat: 26gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 167mgSodium: 547mgCarbohydrates: 47gFiber: 2gSugar: 14gProtein: 9g
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