Cranberry Cream Cheese Bun 蔓越莓奶油芝士面包

My family love the cranberry cream cheese buns sold by BreadTalk for its caramelised bun aroma. I tested the "President" brand cream cheese but not to my liking because of its stronger acidic taste. In my second attempt, I tried the "Cowhead" brand cream cheese - and it matched my taste for its creamier aroma 😍 

My next attempt would be the Kraft Philadelphia cream cheese.  Got to try different brands to find the best 😉 

A video showing the soft texture of the buns 😃

Updated: 12 April 2019
I tried Philadelphia Cream cheese and ranked it top in my choice. The acidity was just right, and the cream cheese tasted creamy. It was drier and firmer to handle, too 😍😍🏆

Yield: 16 mini buns in a 20cm square pan
Raw dough weight: 443g
Baking temperature: Bake at middle rack of a preheated oven at 200℃ for 8 minutes, 180℃ for 10~12 minutes

Ingredients:

185g bread flour
20g top/cake flour
30g raw sugar
2g fine salt
2g instant dry yeast

40g natural yeast, 100% hydration*
20g beaten egg
20g unsalted butter, melted
125g cold milk

10g water (to be added during kneading)


Cranberry Cream Cheese Filling
160g cream cheese, thawed
30g condensed milk
10g icing/fine sugar

20g dried cranberries, cut into tiny pieces

I prefer this brand which has a more milky and a milder acid taste.

This French cream cheese seemed a bit more acidic in taste.

* 40g natural yeast can be replaced by 20g bread flour + 20g water + 1g instant dry yeast.
Click the link for steps of growing natural yeast

Directions:

1. Pour the dry ingredients into the mixing bowl of a stand mixer.

Followed by wet ingredients including the melted butter.

Stir to mix the ingredients into a big lump. Cover and let it stands for about 30 minutes.

After the 30 minutes rest, knead the dough using Speed 5 of a KitchenAid Mini stand mixer for about 18 to 20 minutes. Add the extra 10g of water during kneading depending on the dough condition.

Shape the dough into a ball.

Keep the dough into a plastic lightly oiled. Tie a loose knot and let the dough stand in room temperature for about 15 minutes.

Cover with a lid, and store in the fridge for overnight fermentation (about 16 hours).

2. In the next day, invert the dough with the plastic bag, and let it thaw for about 1 hour before shaping. Thaw the cream cheese at the same time.

Invert the dough onto a floured worktop, and deflate the dough.
First divide the dough into four equal portions.

Take one quadrant, and further divide it into 4 portions.

Or, you can divide the dough into 16 portions this way.

Shape the dough into 16 balls.

Cover with a lid and let the dough rest for about 15 minutes.

3. While waiting for the dough, prepare the cream cheese filling.
Mix the softened cream cheese, condensed milk and icing sugar into a paste.

Cut the dried cranberries into smaller bits.

4. Flatten the dough ball using the palm. Scoop about a teaspoon of the cream cheese paste onto the dough, followed by the dried cranberry bits.

Wrap the dough up and seal tightly

Shape the dough into a ball.

And place the shaped dough in a 20cm square pan lined with parchment paper.

Proof for about 45 minutes in a cool oven, or till the dough has risen to about 4/5 height of the pan.

5. Remove the pan from the oven. Preheat the oven to 200℃.

Brush a coat of egg wash over the dough top.

6. Bake at middle rack of a preheated oven at 200℃ for 8 minutes,

reduce to 180℃ and bake for 10 ~12 minutes, or till the crust turn brown.

End of baking.

7. Transfer the buns to a cooling rack.

Lift the buns out of the baking pan and cool down slightly before serving them warm 😋
Keep the unconsumed buns in the fridge and heat up before serving😍