Step-By-Step Instruction

1. Sweet Stiff Starter 
1. In a bowl of stand mixer, dilute starter with water, stir in sugar and add in bread flour.  Mix with paddle attachment until well mixed and all come together.   It can be done by hand mixing too.
2. Cover and let it ferment until tripled. I prepared a night before and leave it in aircond room (approximately 24 - 25C room temperature) overnight until tripled.  It took about 8 - 9 hours depending on your starter.  It should take around 4 - 6 hours to get triple at room temperature at 28C - 30C. 
2. Main Dough:
1. Put all ingredients (except butter) into a bowl of stand mixer.  I usually torn the stiff starter into pieces first.
2. Slightly combine the mixture by hand with the paddle attachment before turning on the machine so that the flour will not splash out.  Using the paddle attachment, mix for 2 minutes or until all incorporated.  This step is critical to prevent  an uneven mixed dough as the stiff starter is rather hard and a dough hook may not be able to mix it well enough.
3. Change to hook attachment and knead for another 3 minutes or until the dough comes together. Add in butter and continue knead for 10 - 12 minutes or until the dough is silky and smooth and until reach window pane stage.  The whole kneading process, I stopped few times to scrape down the dough from the hook to be sure it is evenly kneaded and also to prevent the motor from overheating.
3. 1st Proofing/Resting:
1. Round up the dough and let it rest for 15 minutes in the same bowl.
4. Filling:
1. Combine cardamom powder and brown sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.
5. Shaping:
1. Roll out on a floured surface into a rectangle roughly about 48cm x 38cm. 
2. Spread the butter and mixture of sugar and cardamom evenly on the dough. 
3. Starting with the widest end, fold it into thirds like a letter.   
4. Divide into 12 equal sections (about 4cm width) with a knife or pizza cutter.
5. Cut each section with twice down the length to get three strands (leave one end uncut).  Plait the strands and tuck in both ends to become a knot.  Repeat the same for the remaining.
6. Place the buns into muffin pan.  Please remember to grease your pan if it is not a non-stick pan. 
6. Final Proofing : 
1. Let it proof at warm place until the dough double in size.  This one took approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes at room temperature of 28C - 29C.  The duration of proofing depends on your ambient temperature and starter.
7. Syrup:
1. Dilute sugar with hot water in a small bowl.  Add in honey, pinch of ground cardamom and salt then stir until well combined.  Keep aside.
8. Baking:
1. Preheat oven at 180C - 190C (top & bottom heat) for 10 - 15 minutes.
2. Brush with egg wash then sprinkle with some ground cardamom (optional). Bake in a preheated oven for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
3. Remove cardamom rolls from oven and brush with sugar and honey syrup immediately. Let them cool on rack.

Main Dough, Shaping and Baking