Russian Cream Cheese Sweet Buns - Vatrushka

I was gifted this recipe by Pamela Jacques of Pams Cakes a few years ago. The first time I made them, I used Goat cheese and raisins. It was wonderful. I used cream cheese and cranberries this time. Also amazing.

I do not know how authentic they are but I really like them and recommend you try them yourself.

They use a sweet bread as a base, shaped into buns and left to rise.

Then they are pressed to accommodate the filling, after a second rise.

I used a tablespoon of filling in each pocket.

The center will puff in the oven then deflate when they cool.

This is a bad picture but I loved it anyway because it was in the oven and all puffed.

Then remove and cool. Hubby and my dearest daughter loved them. Once again I will be farming them out to neighbors. My mother in law and hubby's uncle both were smitten with the taste and texture. This is a bun you will not see many places.

I asked permission to share this recipe and was given approval by Pamela.

Ingredients:

4 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup warm milk
5 /12 tablespoons soft butter
1 egg

Filling:

1/2 a pound of cream cheese - I used a 1/4 pound
2  tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup cranberries - you could use raisins
1 egg

Method:

Warm milk to 110*, add the sugar and butter to the milk and stir. Then add the yeast, wait 10 minutes for the yeast to bloom. In a mixing bowl, add the sifted flour and salt. Add the wet to the dry and let the dough come together till it leaves the side of the bowl. You may need to add a little flour or water depending on the mixture. The dough will be a little sticky. Place in a warm spot for 1 1/2 hours till the dough doubles.

Filling:

Add the cream cheese, sour cream, egg, and sugar to a bowl and mix until smooth, add the cranberries after dusting with a little flour. Place the bowl in the fridge until you are ready to add the mixture to the top of the bread. I use a tablespoon in each bread bowl, so get out the measuring spoon.

When the dough has risen to double, weigh it and make 12 rolls equal size. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet and let rise again until they double (another 30 minutes).

When the buns have doubled you will take a small glass and press gently in the middle to deflate the dough--just halfway to make a cup indentation. Then fill the cup with the filling mixture. Now, egg-white the edges of the buns so they will get a nice brown in the oven. Bake at 400* for 20 minutes.

In the oven, the filling will puff. Once removed it deflates slightly.

These buns are like a danish and a sweet roll all in one. Delicious. I admit that I prefer it with chevre cheese but my family like cream cheese filling.

~ Hugs From Mum