Recipe: Cardamom sweet rolls

Total time: 50 minutes, plus 2 1/2 hours rising time

Servings: 12

2 packages active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)

3/4 cup milk, divided

1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces

2 1/2 teaspoons cardamom seeds, crushed using a mortar and pestle, divided

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

4 to 4 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cup butter, softened, plus some to butter a bowl, divided

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons toasted chopped hazelnuts

1. Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and stir to dissolve. Let the yeast mixture stand while preparing the remaining ingredients.

2. Heat one-half cup of the milk in a small saucepan to just simmering. Remove it from the heat and add the cut-up butter, stirring until melted. Stir in 2 teaspoons cardamom, one-half cup granulated sugar and the salt. Allow the mixture to cool to warm.

3. Pour the warm milk mixture into the large bowl of an electric mixer. Add the yeast mixture. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then beat in 2 cups of the flour. Beat until smooth. Add enough of the remaining flour to make the dough easy to handle.

4. Lightly flour a board and turn the dough out onto it. Knead it until it is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.

5. Transfer the dough to a buttered bowl, turning to coat all sides of the dough with butter. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

6. Roll the dough with a rolling pin into an18-by-12-inch rectangle. Spread 2 tablespoons of the softened butter to within half an inch of the edge of dough. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar combined with the remaining one-half teaspoon cardamom.

7. Using your hands, roll the dough up tightly from the long side to form a cylinder. Slice into 12 rolls. Place the cut rolls in a buttered 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

8. While the rolls are baking, make a glaze by combining the powdered sugar, the remaining one-fourth cup milk, the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the vanilla. Stir until smooth.

9. Remove the rolls from the oven and let them stand for 5 minutes, then drizzle with the glaze and sprinkle with the chopped hazelnuts.

Each serving: 426 calories; 7 grams protein; 68 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams fiber; 14 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 68 mg. cholesterol; 215 mg. Sodium