Valentines Day Cinnamon Heart Buns

Next Saturday, the 14th of February, is the day you either hate or love - Valentine's Day. Regardless what kind you are, these buns I show you today will be the answer to a happy day in both cases. Even if we may be heartbroken, happily married or not interested in romance at the moment we all can find a reason to enjoy a coffee break (well, I prefer ice cold milk any day!) with cinnamon hearts.
I have always been quite disappointed in ordinary cinnamon buns because they are heavenly to eat freshly baked but gets dry and boring after a day or two. The main reason is that the filling I use to make is containing just sugar, cinnamon and a little bit of butter just prinkled on the dough before rolling it together. This time I made a new twist mixing butter, sugar, cinnamon AND almond paste! The result is mindblowing for me, the filling is sticky and delicious even after several days. I can assure you I will never go back to my old ways again!

Happy Valentine's Day people!

Cinnamon Heart Buns (approximately 15 buns)
600 grams flour
3 deciliter milk (room temperatured)
75 grams butter (room temperatured
1,5 deciliter sugar
25 grams fresh yeast (for sweet dough)
1 teaspoon cardamom

Filling
100 grams butter (room temperatured)
1 deciliter sugar
1,5 deciliter grated almond paste
2 tablespoons cinnamon

Decoration
1 egg
granulated sugar

1. Dissolve the yeast in the milk and then add sugar and cardamom.
2. Add 300 grams of flour little by little while stirring with a ladle or use a baking machine. If you use machine let it work for about 15 minutes.
3. Let the dough rise for about 30 minutes.
4. Keep on using the machine or and start working the dough while adding the rest of the flour and the butter in small pieces. You can also knead by hand if you feel more comfortable with that.
5. When the dough is nice and even without being sticky, let it rise for about 30 minutes.
6. Roll out the dough to a rectangle shape approximately 40*30 centimeter (40 cm horizontal) and about 0,5 cm thick.
7. Mix the room temperatured ingredients for the filling in a bowl and then spread it evenly all over the rectangel all the way out to the edges. 
8. Start rolling the two 40 cm edges into the middle of the rectangle and make sure the rolls are getting the same size when they meet.
9. Use a sharp knife to make 2 cm slices and lay the buns on a baking tray covered with baking paper. To get the heart shape you need to use the handle of a spoon sticking it right between the two rolls and drag the middle part down so you get the sharp lower edge of the heart. You can also use your thumb and forefinger to squeeze the rolls together a bit. Let the buns raise for about an hour under towel.
10. Put the oven on 225 Celcius.
11. Beat the egg and brush it on top and around all edges of the buns, sparkle the granulated sugar on top.
12. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 8-10 minutes until they get a nice golden brown color.