Vatrushka Recipe (Ватрушки)

Ingredients

• 4 cups flour (plus more for kneading)
• 1 1/3 cups milk (lukewarm)
• 1 tablespoon Instant Yeast
• 7 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 5 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 pound (500g) Tvorog Cheese
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste
• 1 egg
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• egg wash (2 egg yolks with 1 tablespoon of whipping cream)

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Making Yeast Dough ---

2. 2

   Activate Yeast - mix yeast with ½ lukewarm milk with 1 tablespoon sugar. Whisk in ½ cup flour and allow to site for 15 minutes until it activates.

3. 3

   Mix - whisk 2 eggs, salt, sugar and melted butter together. Add rest of the milk. Pour into activated yeast mixture and slowly add flour until it forms.

4. 4

   Knead - on a floured surface knead for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic

5. 5

   Rise - place in oiled bowl, cover with cling wrap and place in warm spot. Takes about 1½ hours to rise. Punch down down and gently knead before using.

6. 6

   --- Making Vatrushka ---

7. 7

   Preheat - set oven to 350°F (180°C).

8. 8

   Make Cheese Filling - mix together Tvorog, Vanilla, Egg, Sugar and Sour Cream.

9. 9

   Prepare Dough - roll dough into a thick log and cut into 12 equal pieces. Using your palms, roll each piece into a round ball and place on parchment paper on a baking tray.

10. 10

    Fill - using the bottom of a drinking glass, press down in the middle of the dough ball, making an indentation (like a well) to hold the cheese filling. Spoon in the tvorog cheese to fill the pastry. The vatrushki will be around 4" round.

11. 11

    Rise - allow to rise in a warm place for about 15 minutes. Brush the edges of the Vatrushka Buns with the egg wash.

12. 12

    Bake - place in preheated oven for about 25 minutes until golden brown.