Cardamom pretzel buns

Crumble the yeast into a bowl. Melt the butter or margarine. Add the milk and gently warm to 37 °C. Add the warm milk mixture and stir until the yeast has dissolved. Add the sugar, salt, cardamom and vanilla sugar. Mix in the egg and most of the flour. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for 30 minutes. Work in 100 g soft butter or margarine. Put the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Divide the dough into 35 pieces, roll into lengths and twist them into pretzel shapes. Place the pretzel buns on a baking sheet and leave to rise for 30 minutes. Bake at the centre of the oven at 225 °C for 10-12 minutes. Brush with milk immediately after removing the buns from the oven. Leave them to cool on a wire rack.