I love sweet and soft yeast rolls. These tasty Russian Yeast Rolls, a.k.a. bulochki, are especially dear to my heart because they carry the taste of my childhood memories.
Every summer break my parents used to send me to spend some time with grandma in the countryside. She still lives in the same village, in the house with a giant brick oven.
I remember her getting up at dawn, starting a fire in the oven and putting the dough to rise. By the time I was up, bulochki stuffed with homemade jam were waiting for me next to a jug of warm fresh milk.
I am so happy to share this wonderful recipe so you too can experience the taste of my childhood.
Using this dough, there are endless options of fillings, such as fresh fruits and berries, poppy seed, farmers cheese, etc. My favorite fillings are apple butter, sour cherries and condensed milk.
My dear friend Valentina had brought us a giant box of delicious Macintosh apples from her garden a few days ago and I immediately knew it’s apple butter time! These apples have the best flavor, juiciness and texture. Sweet enough for dessert. I mean, if I was the kind of person who eats apples for dessert. Psh.
Benji wanted me to come sit down on the couch to rub his belly, and stood around my feet in various poses of approach, but I couldn’t deny the baking itch. So, he had no choice, but to help me out with these Russian yeast rolls.
The dough is easy. It just requires a little rising time. It’s time well spent, my friends. Well. Spent.
First you’re going to let the dough rise. It’s going to smell amazing and feel even more amazing in your hands and you’re going to ask yourself why you don’t do this more often.
Then you’re going to roll it out.
And fill it with sweet apple butter.
And then,
This.
Is going in your mouth.
I’m thinking you need to make a double batch.
- 6 cups all-purpose flour + more for dusting
- 1 cup sugar
- 1½ cups warm milk
- 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups apple butter or any other filling
- 1 tbsp sugar dissolved in 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp oil for greasing
- Preheat oven to 200 F and turn it off.
- Add warm milk to the bowl and sprinkle the top with yeast. Let it sit on the counter for 5 minutes.
- Then add 1 cup of flour and 1/2 cup sugar. Whisk together until blended and let it rise inside the turned off oven for 30 minutes.
- Take out the bowl from the oven and whisk in 3 eggs, butter, remaining sugar and vanilla.
- Gradually stir in the flour mix and kneed for 15 minutes. The dough should be a little sticky to your hands, but should not stick to the walls of the bowl. Adjust with more flour if necessary.
- Transfer to a large bowl and let rise in the warm oven until it is tripled in volume, about 2 hours.
- Transfer the dough on a slightly dusted working surface.
- Make a log out of the dough and cut it into 6-7 equal pieces.
- Roll each piece into 12 inch circles and cut them in 8 even triangles.
- Place about a teaspoon of apple butter in the center of the triangle and pinch the two edges together over the filling.
- Seal all the way down securing the filling and roll forward.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Place rolls on a baking sheet with slightly greased parchment paper and let them rise for about 20 minutes.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
- Brush immediately with sugar and water syrup.
Great and simple recipe! I messed up step 1 – didn’t turn off the oven. (Note to self, pay attention to the recipe next time). Also, didn’t have apple butter, so made them plain and added dried apricots instead to some. And they were all still amazing! I did think to myself “why don’t I do this more often”. I don’t bake often and don’t deal with yeast ever, and this was a success. Thank you for a great recipe!
Aw, you’re too sweet, Natalya! I like you 🙂 Makes me so happy to see people use my recipes and like them. Thank you for taking the time to come back and share your feedback!
These are absolutely adorable and the dog is super cute!!!
Thank you Julia 🙂