Cottage Cheese Buns with Cinnamon Sugar Coating

Ingredients

For the Buns:

• • Cottage cheese (5%) – 200 g

• • Egg – 1 large
  • Sugar – 40 g
  • Vanilla sugar – 10 g

• • All-purpose flour – around 170 g (plus 30 g for working with the dough)
  • Vegetable oil – 50 g
  • Salt – a pinch

• Baking powder – 1 tsp

For the Topping:

• • Milk – for brushing the buns
  • Butter – 20 g (melted)

• Sugar – 2 tablespoons
• Cinnamon – 1 teaspoon

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare the Dough:

• • In a large mixing bowl, combine the cottage cheese, egg, sugar, vanilla sugar, a pinch of salt, and vegetable oil.

• Using an immersion blender or food processor, blend the mixture until smooth and well combined. This will give the dough a uniform texture and ensure the cottage cheese is well incorporated into the batter.

2. Incorporate the Dry Ingredients:

• • In a separate bowl, mix the flour with the baking powder.
  • Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring to combine after each addition.

• Start mixing the dough by hand or using a spatula. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky, but not too wet. If necessary, add a bit more flour (around 30 g), but be careful not to add too much, as this can make the buns dense.

3. Shape the Buns:

• • Once the dough has come together, transfer it to a lightly floured surface.
  • Divide the dough into 10 equal portions. Roll each portion into a small ball or rope-like shape.

• Form each ball into a bun shape by twisting the rope-like dough, or simply leave them as round buns.

4. Prepare for Baking:

• • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the buns on the sheet, ensuring they are spaced evenly apart.
  • Brush the tops of the buns lightly with milk to help them brown nicely while baking.

5. Bake the Buns:

• • Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
  • Bake the buns in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until they are golden brown on the outside and cooked through.
  • Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of one bun. If it comes out clean, the buns are ready.

6. Make the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:

• While the buns are baking, mix together 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon in a small bowl.
• Melt the butter and set it aside for brushing.

7. Coat the Buns:

• • Once the buns are baked, remove them from the oven and let them cool for a couple of minutes.

• • While the buns are still warm, brush them generously with the melted butter.
  • Roll the buns in the cinnamon sugar mixture until they are evenly coated.
  • Serve warm or allow them to cool completely before enjoying.

Cooking Tips:

• • Using Cottage Cheese: Cottage cheese adds moisture and softness to the dough, but if you prefer a smoother dough, you can blend the cottage cheese before adding it to the rest of the ingredients. This will help avoid any small lumps in the final buns.
  • Don’t Overwork the Dough: Be careful not to knead or mix the dough too much after adding the flour. Overworking the dough can result in dense buns.
  • Baking Time: Keep an eye on the buns while they bake. Depending on your oven, they might brown faster or slower than expected. If they start to brown too quickly, you can cover them loosely with aluminum foil for the remainder of the baking time.

• Customize the Coating: If you’re not a fan of cinnamon, you can skip the cinnamon sugar coating and instead brush the buns with a simple glaze made from powdered sugar and milk. This will give them a sweet, shiny finish.