Cheesecakes with cheese in the oven

Step-by-step preparation

Cooking time: 3 hr 20 mins

1. STEP 1

   

   How to make cheesecakes with cheese? Let's start by preparing the ingredients for the dough. Heat the milk to 40 ⁰C. It should feel pleasantly warm to the touch, but not hot, otherwise the yeast will die. Take fast-acting yeast.

2. STEP 2

   

   Combine all ingredients in a tall bowl (I use a mixer glass) and leave in a warm place for 15 minutes. In winter, a battery will do, and in summer you can put the dough in a switched off oven or microwave.

3. STEP 3

   

   How to understand that the yeast is fresh and suitable for further work? After 10-15 minutes, a dense foam cap with a characteristic yeast smell should appear on the surface of the milk. If this does not happen, you will have to use yeast from another batch and prepare the dough again. Set the dough aside for now; you will need it a little later.

4. STEP 4

   

   Prepare the ingredients for the dough. Butter and eggs should be at room temperature. To do this, remove them from the refrigerator in advance (about 30 minutes before you start preparing the cheesecakes). Heat the milk to 38-40 ⁰С.

5. STEP 5

   

   Sift ⅔ of the premium wheat flour into a deep bowl. Add sugar and vanilla sugar. For taste, you can add a pinch of salt to the dough. With this amount of sugar, the dough will be sweetish. And it is suitable for those who love the combination of “sweet dough - salty filling”. If you want a dough that is neutral in taste, reduce the amount of sugar by ⅓ or more, depending on your preference.

6. STEP 6

   

   Add milk and dough to the bowl. Beat in the eggs.

7. STEP 7

   

   Lightly stir flour into wet ingredients and add butter.

8. STEP 8

   

   Knead the dough and evaluate its consistency. Add flour if necessary. But try not to overdo it with flour. The more of it there is in the dough, the tougher the cheesecakes will be. Knead the dough for at least 15 minutes until it no longer sticks too much to your hands. Electric kitchen assistants will handle the batch faster. Gather the dough into the center and cover the bowl with cling film. Leave the dough to proof in a warm place for 1.5-2 hours.

9. STEP 9

   

   Let's start forming cheesecakes. Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces and roll them into balls. Place on a baking sheet lined with baking paper, spaced apart. Use your fingers to make an indentation in the middle of each cheesecake. This is the place for the filling. If your baking sheet allows, make the distances between the buns larger than mine: the dough rises very well and they will simply stick together on the sides. This is not critical at all, but will affect the appearance.

10. STEP 10

    

    Any semi-hard cheese that you like and that melts well is suitable for the filling. Divide the egg into yolk and white.

11. STEP 11

    

    Grate the cheese on a coarse grater and combine with the protein. For my taste, there will be enough salt in the filling due to the cheese, but you can add a little more to taste.

12. STEP 12

    

    Place a tablespoon of filling in the middle of each cheesecake (you can press the filling inside slightly) and brush the cheesecakes with yolk using a pastry brush. Cover the cheesecakes with a towel and leave to proof for 15-20 minutes. Then bake in an oven preheated to 180°C for 30-40 minutes until the buns are well browned. The cheese should melt without burning the bottom.