Danish Raspberry Wreaths

Ingredients:

Filling

• 220 g of cream cheese, room temperature
• 0.5 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• Unsalted butter, softened, enough to grease the pan and cling film
• 2 tbsp. breadcrumbs
• 1 cup raspberries
• Powdered sugar, for dusting
• Premium flour, for dusting

Buns

• 0.5 cups whole milk
• 1 packet (7 g) active dry yeast (2 and 1/4 tsp)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 60g unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly, plus extra for greasing
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 and 3/4 cups of premium flour, plus extra for working with the dough
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 0.5 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

Preparation:

1. Filling:
   
   In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add 1 egg and beat until fully incorporated; set aside.
2. Grease 2 baking sheets with butter. Line a large sheet of parchment paper and sprinkle with flour. Cut the dough in half. Place 1 piece on the parchment and roll it out into a 40x15 cm rectangle. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp. breadcrumbs, then spread half of the cream cheese filling over the dough, leaving a 2.5 cm (1 inch) border on all sides.
3. Place 0.5 cups of raspberries in a long strip down the center. Using the parchment paper, lift the dough and roll it around the filling to form a 40 cm long roll. Transfer the roll, seam side down, to one of the prepared baking sheets and form a wreath by tucking the ends together and sealing. Repeat to form the second wreath.
4. Cover the wreaths loosely with oiled plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
5. Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Using scissors, make crosswise slits 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart all over the wreaths. Use your fingers to gently push the dough apart at each slit. In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon of water; brush the tops of the wreaths.
6. Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake until golden brown, 30-35 minutes, rotating the baking sheets and rotating them halfway through baking. Let cool on the baking sheets to room temperature. Dust the wreaths with powdered sugar before serving.
7. Basic dough for sweet buns:
   
   Combine 0.5 cups of water and milk in a saucepan and heat over low heat to 37°C-43°C. Remove from heat and sprinkle with yeast, then sprinkle with a pinch of sugar. Set aside, without stirring, until foam appears, about 5 minutes.
8. Stir the melted butter, egg yolk, and vanilla extract into the yeast mixture. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, remaining sugar, salt, and nutmeg. Make a well in the center, then add the yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until a thick, slightly sticky dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until soft and elastic, about 6 minutes. Form into a ball.
9. Grease a large bowl with butter. Place the dough in the bowl, lightly brushing it with butter. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
10. Remove the dough from the bowl and punch it down slightly to release excess air; form it into a ball again and return it to the bowl. Lightly grease a large piece of plastic wrap with butter and place it directly on top of the dough. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.