Yeast Buns on Kefir with Cinnamon and Dried Fruits

Step 1 -- In advance (1-2 hours before kneading the dough), take the kefir out of the refrigerator and leave it at room temperature to warm up (in the package or having taken the required amount into a separate container), you can also put it on a hot radiator or in warm water for 10-15minutes, before you start cooking.

Step 2 -- Turn on the oven and heat it to 175 degrees Celsius (so that it can be used for dough rising, if there is no other warm place for it, such as a radiator).

Step 3 -- Measure the required amount of sugar and wheat flour for the dough in individual containers.

Step 4 -- Start to make the dough. In a small metal saucepan or aluminum bowl, pour the required amount of milk according to the recipe, put on a small fire and warm up (to 38-40 degrees Celsius).

Step 5 -- Put ½ teaspoon of sugar (taken from the total amount of sugar for the dough) in the milk, add fresh yeast (or put dry yeast). Without stirring, leave the yeast for about 15 minutes in a warm place (on a preheated oven or radiator), letting the yeast get wet and start to foam.

Step 6 -- While the yeast is swelling, completely melt the necessary amount of butter for the dough in a saucepan or aluminum dish (for example, put a container with butter in the pre-heated oven or on the range burner, stirring with a spoon or knife in this case). Then leave it until it is used at room temperature (to make it slightly cool).

Step 7 -- In a bowl for kneading of about 3.5 liters, beat eggs in lush white foam by the mixer with the usual whisks, then add the remaining (for the dough) usual sugar, salt and vanilla sugar and blend them all up until it gets puffy.

Step 8 -- Add warmed kefir to the beaten eggs, mix them.

Step 9 -- Pour ready yeast with milk in eggs and kefir, stir until homogeneous.

Step 10 -- Sifting, put about 200 g of previously measured wheat flour, stirring it with a mixer until homogeneous, then pour in the cooled or slightly warm melted butter, mix it. Sifting, add another 100 grams of flour, and mix it again until smooth. Gradually in 2 portions (to feel the structure of the dough), the rest of the flour, carefully kneading the dough with hands until it starts to come off the hands and the bowl. However, it is acceptable if it sticks a little bit to hands.

Step 11 -- Roll the dough into a ball and put it back in the bowl for kneading, cover it with food plastic wrap and put it a warm place for about 60-90 minutes. As a result, the volume of the dough should increase approximately twice or three times.

Step 12 -- While the dough is rising, measure the necessary amount of sugar for the filling, mix it with cinnamon and cover it with the lid or food polyethylene film and leave it alone, so that the flavor of spices does not vanish. Chop kernels of walnuts into small or medium pieces with a sharp knife. If you use dried fruits, rinse them with warm water, then with cold running water, slightly wring them out and dry on a paper napkin. Slice prunes and cut raisins (if they are large) to pieces. Put the prepared dried fruits and nuts in a separate container, mix them and then cover with food plastic wrap (so that the dried fruit retains moisture) and leave it on the table before the use. Just before you come to dough kneading, melt butter for the filling: for example, after placing the container with it in the oven or on a range burner (stirring it with a spoon or knife in this case), then let it cool down at room temperature.

Step 13 -- When the dough is ready, turn on the oven and heat it to 175 degrees Celsius, if the oven has not been previously turned on. Cover a large aluminum baking sheet (21 × 32 cm and 5 cm high or something like that) with non-stick parchment paper for baking.

Step 14 -- Press down the dough in the bowl with your hands, so that it sinks, and roll the dough into a ball again. Sprinkle the table, the dough itself and the rolling pin (if necessary) with flour, and then roll out the dough ball into a rectangle measuring 29 × 45 cm, periodically stretching and trimming it with your hands.

Step 15 -- Evenly grease the resulting layer of dough with a melted butter by a spoon (not reaching 1 cm to the edge of one long side), then sprinkle it with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon, and then – with prunes, raisins, cherries or cranberries and nuts.

Step 16 -- Roll the dough tightly according to the long side that is totally covered with melted butter. Then fasten the roll seam so that it does not break off when baking, and turn the roll with the seam down. Make 14 cuts on the roll with an equal distance from each other (approximately every 3 cm), and then cut the roll with a sharp jagged knife (using sawing movements) into 15 pieces and place them vertically on the previously prepared baking sheet. Put the last pieces of the roll with slices up (so they will look more neatly after baking). Slightly press the dried fruits and nuts that protrude from the ready-to-bake items, so that they won’t get too dry while baking.

Step 17 -- Put a baking tray with ready-to-bake buns in a warm place and cover them with a paper, so that they become ready and increase in size (this may take 20-30 minutes).

Step 18 -- In a separate small container, beat a small egg with a hand whisk and grease buns with a culinary brush (optional). Place the baking sheet with buns in the oven and bake them until they become golden brown on top at 175 degrees Celsius for about 45 minutes or according to the recommendations for baking the yeast dough in the instructions of your oven. Make sure that the top of the buns does not burn hard. If necessary, you can change sides of the baking tray after 20-25 minutes of baking so that the buns brown evenly.

Step 19 -- At the end of the time specified in point 18, remove the ready products from the oven, immediately grease them with a piece of butter (to soften the top) (optional), cover them with a paper towel and let them completely cool down on the baking sheet. But it is better if you let the buns to stay on the baking sheet for another 6-8 hours at room temperature and don’t cover them with anything, and only then come to the next item.

Step 20 -- Serve the buns, taking the necessary amount from the baking sheet and placing them on a serving dish. If necessary, cut off burnt by a sharp jagged knife with sawing movements, so as not to damage their tender structure.

Step 21 -- Keep the rest of the buns not more than 2-3 days at room temperature on the same baking tray, they were baked. Covered them with polyethylene film or a paper towels – in this case, they will remain soft. When kept in an open container, they will dry out a little.