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Cream Cheese and Milk Chocolate Stuffed Buns

whole milk, lukewarm

sugar

active yeast

all-purpose flour

vanilla bean paste

salt

honey

melted and cooled butter

Bread Dough

cream cheese, at room temperature, divided into 1 Tsbp portions

milk chocolate, chopped

Filling

cinnamon

tiny pinch of salt

About 25g melted butter to brush

Cinnamon Sugar

oven

Place the lukewarm milk, 1 Tbsp of the sugar, and the yeast in a medium sized bowl, and stir to combine. Leave for 10-15 minutes, or until foamy.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, remaining sugar, flour, vanilla bean paste, salt, honey, and butter. 

Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients, and mix on low for 2-3 minutes to bring the dough together. Increase the speed of the mixer to medium, and mix for a further 5 to 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball and place into a lightly oiled or buttered bowl.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm place until doubled in size, 45 minutes to an hour. 

BREAD DOUGH

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 10 balls by weight, and shape into balls by cupping your hand and using it to shape the balls by using the counter to create tension. Place under plastic wrap or a clean tea towel and leave to relax for 10 minutes. 

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. To shape the buns, take a ball of dough and flatten it with your hand, then using a rolling pin or your hands, make it in to a circle about 3 inches in diameter. Place a tablespoon of cream cheese in the surface, spreading out a little toward the edges, then top with a handful of the chopped chocolate. Pinch together the dough at the bottom and then turn it over (seam side down), and roll around in your cupped hand again to form it into a bun. Place it on the prepared sheet pan. 

Repeat the process with the remaining buns, ensuring you leave adequate space between each on the sheet pan. Loosely cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap and leave to rise for a further 45 minutes to an hour. While the buns are rising, preheat the oven to 350°f / 180°c. 

Brush the buns with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the buns are golden brown (check on the bottoms to make sure that they are brown too). 

Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the sheet pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling. 

Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. Best eaten on the day that they are made. Zap leftovers in the microwave before eating. 