Raspberry Buns

Absolutely stunning! Best buns I've ever eaten! Soft, moist, sweet raspberries plus mascarpone cheese make a wonderful couple if it comes to the taste and the overall effect is outrageous :) Perfect for breakfast, lunch, either at home or at work/school. A definite must-bake :) A big thanks to Deliciouslyyum for the recipe!

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Ingredients:

Dough:

• 1 cup of milk
• 4 tablespoons of butter, cut into small pieces
• 3 1/4 – 3 1/2 cups of flour, divided
• 1 package of instant yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 1/4 cup of white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 egg

Filling:

• 8 oz. of mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
• 5 tablespoons of granulated sugar, divided
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 12 oz. of raspberries (if frozen, need to be defrost and dried on a paper towel)
• 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
• zest of 1 lemon

Icing:

• 1 and 1/2 cups of confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons of melted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1-2 tablespoons of milk

Preparation:

Dough:

1. Take a baking tray, grease and put baking paper all over it. Set aside.
2. Take a bowl (suitable to put in a microwave or on the stove), put milk and butter inside and heat till the butter is almost melted and the milk is warm. Stir till the butter is completely melted. Set aside. 
3. Take a big bowl (you can do it using a stand mixer if it is suitable to knead the dough), put 2 cups of flour, yeast, sugar, and salt inside. Stir, so that it mixes.
4. Add the egg and milk to the dry mix and continue stirring until thoroughly combined. Start kneading for at least few minutes (till the douhg starts pulling away from the sides) and add remaining flour. 
5. Knead the dough for another 5 minutes. 
6. Cover the bowl with dough with a dry, clean cloth and put in a warm place (do not leave it near an open window, even if it is hot outside). Leave it for at least 10 minutes or until it doubles its size.
7. During that time, prepare the filling.

Filling&Dough:

1. Take a bowl, put mascarpone cheese, 3 tablespoons of sugar and vanilla extract inside. Set aside.
2. Take another bowl, put frozen raspberries, remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and cornstarch inside, mix. Set aside as well.

1. When the dough is ready, sprinkle kitchen's surface with flour and roll it out until you get a 12 x 14 inches rectangle. 
2. Distribute mascarpone cheese mixture evenly over the dough. Put raspberry mixture on top and sprinkle with lemon zest. 
3. Now, time to roll the dough up - starting with one of the longer's side, roll the dough into a log. Close the sides very precisely so that the filling doesn't come out. 
4. Cut into slices (around 2-3 cm thick) and put them on previously prepared baking tray, leaving some space between them (the buns will rise again). Cover again with a clean kitchen cloth. Set aside in a warm place for at least 30 minutes (or till it doubles its size again). 
5. During that time, start preheating the oven to 180C. 
6. Bake the buns for around 20 minutes (or until the tops are golden brown).
7. Now, it is a good time, to prepare the icing.

Icing:

1. Mix confectioners’ sugar, butter, vanilla and milk. 
2. When the buns are ready, take them out from the oven, let them cool down for a while and distribute the icing all over their tops.
3. Keep closed for max 3 days or store closed in the freezer for maximum 3 weeks.
4. Bon Appetit! ;)

Puff Pastry With Chicken

Well this recipe was born out of my curiosity and a need of trying something new with puff pastry that... may not appear to be edible ;) Surprisingly, it appeared to be very tasty :) What is it? My mum said it looks like a chicken mummy ;) Seriously speaking, this is stiffed with vegs and spicy chicken crunchy puff pastry :) worth trying!

Ingredients:

• Puff pastry*
• 500g of chicken breasts
• 500g of mushrooms
• 1 onion
• 1,5-2 peppers (not necessary red one)
• mascarpone/philadelphia (cream) cheese
• a couple of cheese slices (2-3 per one)
• spices: salt, pepper, cayenne, oregano, basil
• 1 egg, beaten

Optional ingredients:

• green/black olives
• tomatoes (preferably dried)
• zucchini
• courgette
• carrot
• instead of an onion - a leek

* depending on a number of people eating there might be 2 packagings of puff pastry needed

Preparation:

1. Wash, peel (if necessary) and chop all the vegetables into cubes (zucchini, courgette and carrot might be cut into slices, though it doesn't matter that much).
2. Wash and cut chicken breasts into thin slices, season both sides with all the spices.
3. Take a frying pan, grease, put mushrooms and onion/leek, zucchini, courgette and carrot on it. Start frying, till bright gold (3-5 minutes). Turn off the heat, put aside till it cools down.
4. Prepare puff pastry, as the picture shows. (These pieces can be shorter, then, instead of 2-3 big ones, it is possible to get 4-6 smaller ones). It is good to leave the puff pastry on its paper (it's easier to move it later on the baking tray).
5. Start preheating the oven to 180C.
6. Add peppers to the frying pan and other additionals if desired.
7. Take the first piece of puff pastry. Distribute cream cheese on the bottom, put cheese on it, add chicken and 'sprinkle' with all the vegs. Cover with another pieces of cheese. Do up, like shoelaces. Repeat with all the pieces of puff pastry.
8. Take the beaten egg, put some on every top of prepared puff pastry chicken. 
9. Put in the oven for 25-30 minutes. If the top starts burning, cover the top with foil.
10. Bon Appetit!