At a glance
You're making soft, fluffy yeasted buns that actually aren't as tricky as they sound — the stand mixer does most of the heavy lifting for you. The buns come together with caramelised cinnamon apples, creamy curd cheese filling, and a crunchy crumble topping, with a final sweet glaze to finish. Plan for about 2.5 hours total, mostly hands-off rising and resting time.
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Making the dough base
Take out the butter and eggs. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, lukewarm milk, eggs, instant yeast, both sugars, yogurt, salt, lemon zest and nutmeg. Mix on low speed for a few minutes until everything comes together.
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Kneading the dough
Add the softened butter to the base mixture. Increase the speed and knead in the mixer for about 12 minutes. The dough will become nicely developed but still slightly sticky – don't add extra flour! Using a spatula greased with oil, gather the dough and shape it into a ball.
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Proving the dough
Transfer the ball of dough into a clean bowl lightly greased with oil. Cover with a tea towel or cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour. Meanwhile, peel and dice the apples.
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Tips from the Yumsto kitchen
Why it works
The dough is deliberately soft and sticky – more moisture means a softer bun, and 12 minutes in the mixer develops it enough to hold its shape without extra flour. The apples are caramelized and thickened with cornstarch first, so they don't leak juice in the oven and the dough beneath stays dry. The curd cheese acts as a moist layer between dough and apples, which keeps the buns from drying out.
Tips
The milk should only be lukewarm – hot milk can damage the yeast. Let the apple filling cool before filling the buns; a warm filling softens the dough and the hollows spread. Use properly cold butter for the crumble and rub it briefly so it stays clumpy. Press the hollows deep, as the dough rises again in the oven.
Swaps
You can replace the dried yeast with fresh – use about 15 g crumbled into the lukewarm milk. If your curd cheese is lumpy, press it through a sieve or whisk it for a smoother filling. Tart, firm apples that hold their shape work best. Swap the cognac in the glaze for rum, or for children use a little milk or lemon juice – the glaze isn't baked, so the alcohol stays in.
Storage
The buns are best on the day they're baked. Because of the curd cheese, refrigerate them once cool in a sealed container and eat within 2 days; rewarm briefly in the oven before serving. They freeze well without the glaze.
Troubleshooting
Dough isn't rising: the room is cold or the milk was too hot. Put the bowl in a switched-off oven with the light on and give it more time. Pale bottoms: bake on a lower rack next time.
Common questions
What do I brush the edges with?
An egg yolk, so set aside one extra egg. You can also use milk; the edges will be slightly paler.
Can I make it without a stand mixer?
Yes, but expect to knead for longer. The dough is sticky, so oil your hands and work surface instead of flouring them.
How many buns does it make?
The method divides the dough into 4, so you get 4 generous buns.
Can I make the dough the night before?
You can let it rise overnight in the fridge, covered. In the morning, leave it at room temperature for about an hour, then carry on shaping.
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