I. DON’T. DO. CUTE. I don’t even like cooking in specific shapes. But every once in a while I gird my loins and cook like BuzzFeed and Tasty want me to ;) Look: if you don’t want to make hearts out of these, DON’T. I won’t be upset. Just roll these like regular cinnamon buns and shove them into a pan. Because, and I mean this sincerely, they’re going to taste THE SAME. And that taste is too damn good to skip ;)
Makes 12 Portions
Ingredients
DOUGH
3-1/4 to 3-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 (2-1/4/ tsp.) envelope Rapid Rise Yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
EVERYTHING-BAGEL SEED MIX
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
1 ½ tablespoons dried minced garlic
1 ½ tablespoons plus dried minced onion
2 teaspoons flaked sea salt
FILLING
12 oz cream cheese, room temperature
½ cup minced fresh chives (~2 small bunches)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
a couple of turns of black pepper
~½ medium red onion, shaved thinly
12 oz smoked ham slices or smoked salmon slices (enough to cover the surface of the dough)
Instructions
Combine 1-1/2 cups flour, undissolved yeast, sugar and salt in a large mixer bowl. Heat water and butter until very warm (120 to 130°F), butter may not melt completely. Add to flour mixture and begin to stir. Add egg and beat for 2 minutes until well mixed. Gradually add enough remaining flour until soft dough forms.
Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic about 4 to 6 minutes. Cover and let dough rest 10 minutes.
While dough is resting, make everything-bagel seed mixture. In small bowl, combine poppy seeds, white sesame seeds, black sesame seeds, dried garlic, dried onion, and salt. Stir to combine.
While dough is resting, make filling. Combine the cream cheese, chives, black pepper, and the lemon juice in stand mixer and beat until completely mixed.
Sprinkle ¼ - ½ cup seed mixture on kitchen counter, then lightly flour surface as well. Roll dough on top of seeds and flour to a 12 x 15-inch rectangle.
Spread the rectangle of dough with an even layer of the cream cheese mix, followed by the shaved onion, and finally the ham or salmon slices.
Once layered, roll up the dough up tightly (lengthwise) and cut it into 12 equal sized buns about an inch and a half (4cm) wide.
Grease two 9-inch round pans.
To form hearts, take one roll and gently unroll about half. Reroll this portion towards the center, forming 2 round rolled portions (like a scroll - which makes the rounded part of the heart). Pinch the end of each roll to form a point. Repeat with remaining rolls. Place 6 rolls in each pan with points toward the center. Sprinkle with any remaining everything-bagel seed mixture. Cover. Let rise 30 to 45 minutes in warm location until risen.
Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 45-50, or until golden brown on top. Cool for 15 minutes; remove from pan.