BETH McGREGOR's MOTHER'S SWEDISH COFFEE BUNS 
(Adapted from http://www.olum.org/yduj/recipe/santa-lucia-buns.doc)

Original (too large) recipe:

2 pkg dry yeast, softened in 1/2 cup warm water
6 T melted shortening
2 14 oz. cans sweetened condensed milk
2 cans very warm water
3 beaten eggs
2 tsp salt
1 T finely crushed cardamom seeds or ground cardamom (or more to taste)
12+ cups flour (enough to make a slightly soft dough)


1/3 of a recipe, cuz the regular recipe is TOO BIG.

1.5 tsp yeast
6 T melted shortening
9.5oz (weight) sweetened condensed milk [need to measure this in liquid oz]
2/3 of a 14 oz can very warm water [same quantity]
1 beaten egg
2/3 tsp salt
1 tsp finely crushed cardamom seeds or ground cardamom (or more to taste)
4+ cups flour (enough to make a slightly soft dough)




simpler equivalents, of the 1/3 recipe, which didn't work very well:
1.5 tsp yeast, softened in 1+ oz warm water (or 2.0 if elderly)
2 tbsp canola oil
1 2/3 C milk (this is way too much, even if you don't use water above)
1 2/3 C sugar
1 egg (beaten)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cardamom (or 1.5)
4+ cups flour



Here's that halved:

0.75 tsp yeast (1.0 if elderly), softened in a little water.
     (softening irrelevant if quick?)
1 tbsp canola oil
5/6 C warm milk.  Which is too much.  Then I tried 3/4 C milk and it
was STILL too much.  Next time try half a cup.  Warm it up.
5/6 C sugar
1/2 egg, hm, beaten.  This will account for more liquid.
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cardamom (hm, more?  1.0?)
2+ C flour


Soften yeast in warm water.
Place melted shortening in bread mixer or large, deep bowl.
Stir in milk.  Should it be warmed?  Probably!  Maybe that was the
problem last time.  Add sugar.
(Mixture should be quite warm but not hot enough to kill yeast.)
Stir in the beaten eggs, salt, and yeast.
Stir cardamom into half the flour; stir in.
Gradually stir and then knead in the remaining flour until the dough
coheres well but is slightly soft and sticky. 
Let rise in covered bowl in a warm place until doubled in bulk (up to 2 hours).
Punch down the dough, gather into a ball and turn it out onto a floured surface.
Flour hands and working surface lightly (just enough to keep dough from sticking).

Cut small pieces off the dough, roll between hands into thin 4" snakes.
Tie in knot, or form other shapes like coil or figure 8.
Place on greased baking pan, cover with towel and allow to rise again,
up to an hour. 
Brush gently with milk, sprinkle with sugar.
Bake at 350 for about about 20 min. until golden brown.