There's something undeniably special about mornings where time seems to slow down, allowing us to savor each moment. And what better way to celebrate those leisurely mornings than with the aroma of freshly baked cinnamon rolls? To make them even better, we're adding shou and chen pi (tangerine peel).

These delectable treats are the perfect complement to your favorite Living Tea, especially a shou puerh, aged sheng puerh, and even a rich red tea. The robust and earthy notes of these teas perfectly complement the warm spices of cinnamon and cardamom, while the subtle citrus of the tangerine peel adds a touch of brightness to the pairing.

Incorporating a shou puerh tea into our favorite sweet breakfast recipe creates a delightful fusion of flavors. Not only will these rolls be a joy to create and indulge in, but they're also perfect for sharing with your loved ones. Get ready to savor the day and create cherished memories with a batch of these Classic Swedish Cinnamon and Cardamom Rolls, culminating in a true sensory delight.

Classic Swedish Cinnamon and Cardamom Rolls infused with Shou Puerh & Chen Pi (tangerine peel) 

PREP TIME 30 minutes

COOK TIME 20 minutes

TOTAL TIME 3 hours 30 minutes

SERVINGS 12 rolls

For the dough:

• 1 cup plant based milk (or regular milk)
• 1/4 cup vegan butter (or regular butter)
• 3 grams shou puerh tea with chen pi
• 14 oz. all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unfiltered sugar
• 0.25 oz. active dry yeast
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground chen pi tangerine peel
• 1/4 tsp. salt

For the filling:

• 3.5 oz. vegan butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup brown sugar 
• 2 tbsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
• 1/2 tbsp. ground chen pi tangerine peel
• 1 1/2 tbsps of ground tea shou puerh or Liu bao tea
• 1.8 oz. pecans, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add the tea, plant-based milk, and vegan butter to a small saucepan and heat up until butter is melted. Set aside to cool down – the mixture should not be warmer than 110°F (43°C) when added to the dry ingredients. Strain the tea
2. In a bowl combine flour, sugar, yeast, ground cardamom, chen pi and salt. Then add the cooled milk-butter mixture. Stir and knead to combine until you get a nice soft dough ball. Cover the bowl, and let rise in a warm place for about 60-90 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
3. While the dough is rising, you can prepare the filling. Mix the very soft vegan butter with brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ground chen pi, ground tea and cardamom. Chop the pecans finely and set aside.
4. Knock the air out of the risen dough and roll out on a floured surface into a rectangle with about 23×16 inches (60x40cm). Spread the cinnamon mixture evenly all over the dough (into the last corner). Fold in half. Use your rolling pin to press everything together, then cut the rectangle into 12 strips. Take a strip and twist several times, pull gently, and stretch until it nearly doubles in length. Secure one end of the twisted strip with your thumb and wrap twice around two of your fingers, then remove from your fingers and pull the end of the strip through the opening to create a knot. Place the knots on baking sheets lined with baking parchment, cover with a damp kitchen towel, and let rise a second time for about 60 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Brush the knots with some plant-based milk and sprinkle with the pearled sugar. Bake for about 25 minutesTake out of the oven and let cool down on the baking sheets (they will be a bit soft at the beginning), then transfer to a wire rack and let cool down completely.

Enjoy after a few bowls of shou puerh!