Nutella-Cream Cheese Rolls with Walnuts (Tangzhong dough)

Here's a belated Valentine's day post- simple, rich and soft buns shaped like hearts. Not that they need to be- but they're cute! To shape them, cut a rolled-up log of the dough and filling (like a jelly roll) into 10 segments. Cut each segment most of the way through in the middle, then turn it on its side. Imagine moving the hour hand from the minute hand on a clock so it's set to 2 o' clock to get the angle right. Then, press down with your palm.

The tangzhong makes these rolls stay soft inside for a long time, and they're not too sweet despite the nutella and cream cheese filling. The walnuts add a nice toasty touch, but obviously hazelnuts are also good.

Nutella-Cream Cheese Rolls with Walnuts 

For Tangzhong:
15 g. Flour
72 g. Water
Mix well and cook on medium heat until 65℃, or until consistency is pudding-like. Let cool to room temperature before using.

For Dough:
Adapted from Kochtopf
All of tangzhong
90 g. Milk, lukewarm
30 g. Fresh yeast, or 3 Tsp. Active dry yeast
1 Egg
150 g. Bread flour
150 g. All purpose or type 550 flour
60 g. Sugar
1 packet vanilla sugar
2 TBSP Powdered whole fat milk
1 Tsp. Salt
80 g. Butter, softened

For Filling:
125 ml Nutella (half a small jar)
50 g. Cream cheese
1 TBSP Powder sugar
1 TBSP Hazelnut oil
1/2 C. Walnut pieces

Prepare the filling by mixing the nutella, cream cheese, sugar and oil until smooth, then stirring in the walnuts. Set aside for later.

For the buns:

Mix the flours, salt, sugars, and powdered milk with a whisk.

Dissolve the yeast in the milk and add the egg. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ones to form a smooth dough, adding more milk or flour if necessary to get it soft and pliable. Add the butter in pieces until well incorporated. Let rise, covered, for 1 - 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled.

Punch down dough and form a large rectangle. Spread the filling and roll up, then cut into 10 pieces. In the middle of each piece, cut a slit about 2/3 of the way in, then pull apart the two sides about 45 degrees while laying it rolled-side-up. Press down to form a heart shape. Let the buns, once shaped, rise for about and hour.

Bake at 180℃ for 18-20 minutes.