Sweet Cheese Pastry
Fluffy sweet cheese pastries with a jam filling, baked in soft dough. Perfect for breakfast, dessert, or a sweet snack!
Equipment
- Stand mixer (optional)
Ingredients
Dough
- 500 grams flour
- 10 grams instant dry yeast
- 70 grams sugar
- 100 grams softened butter
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- A pinch of salt
- 1 egg (for brushing the pastries before baking)
Filling
- 450 grams ricotta cheese (see recipe ingredients for more cheese options)
- 40 grams sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (or vanilla paste)
- 40 grams instant vanilla pudding powder
Crumble
- 35 grams cold, diced butter
- 50 grams flour
- 40 grams Demerara sugar (you can also use regular sugar or a mix of regular and brown sugar)
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the warm milk, 1 tbsp of the sugar, and the yeast. First, add the warm milk and sugar, stir slightly, then add the yeast.
- Let the milk-yeast mixture sit for 5 minutes while you mix all the other ingredients in a larger bowl.
No Knead - Stretch and Fold Method
- Add the flour, sugar, and salt to a large bowl and mix together.
- Mix in the butter, milk-yeast mixture, beaten egg, and vanilla extract.
- *For the rest of the stretch-and-fold instructions, see recipe notes.
Stand Mixer Method
- Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
- Add the butter, milk-yeast mixture, beaten egg, and vanilla extract.
- Knead the dough for about 10 minutes on medium-low speed (or 15 minutes by hand) until it becomes elastic and smooth.
- Lightly oil the dough and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise until it doubles in size, about one hour.
Continue for both methods
- Place the risen dough on a floured surface and divide it into balls of approximately 55-60 grams (about 0.12-0.14 pounds) each.
- Let the dough balls rest for 15-20 minutes, covered with a kitchen towel.
- While the dough is resting, mix all the filling ingredients thoroughly, ensuring there are no lumps.
- Take each dough ball and place it on a lined baking sheet. Using a floured ¼ cup measuring cup, create a small nest in the center of each ball. Gently press your fingers into the nest to enlarge it, ensuring the bottom remains thick enough. The nest should be about the size of the palm of your hand.
- Spoon about 1-2 teaspoons of filling into each nest, being careful not to overfill to allow space for the jam. Add 1 teaspoon of jam in the center of each pastry.
- Allow the pastries to proof on a baking pan for 15-20 minutes.
- While the dough is resting, mix all the crumble ingredients together with your fingers until you achieve a wet sand-like texture.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Brush the edges of the nests with egg wash, then sprinkle the crumble mixture over the rim.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown.
- These pastries can be enjoyed warm, but let them cool completely before storing.
Notes
*Here’s how to perform the stretch-and-fold method:
- Rest the Dough: After mixing your ingredients, let the dough rest in a bowl for 20-30 minutes. Cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap to prevent drying.
- First Stretch and Fold: Lightly wet your hands to prevent sticking. Gently grab one side of the dough, stretch it upward, and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat the stretch and fold on the opposite side. Do this 3-4 times until you've folded all sides of the dough.
- Rest Again: Let the dough rest for another 20-30 minutes, covered.
- Repeat the Process: Repeat the stretch-and-fold process every 20-30 minutes for 3-4 more rounds. This strengthens the dough and develops gluten.
- Final Rest: After the final fold, allow the dough to rest and rise for around 40 minutes, or until it has doubled in size.