Egg-Free Kefir Apple Buns

Mix the instant yeast and at least a teaspoon of sugar into the warm water. After fifteen minutes, the sponge will be ready for the next steps.

Pour in the warmed kefir and sunflower oil, add a pinch of salt, and stir in the remaining sugar (2 tbsp). Mix thoroughly until the liquid base is smooth.

Gradually add the flour, sifted 1-2 times, one cup at a time. Watch the consistency—you might need slightly less depending on the flour. Knead a dough that is not too dense.

Cover the dough and let it proof in a warm place for about an hour and a half. The yeast dough should rise nicely.

Core the apples and dice them into half-centimeter cubes or grate them on a coarse grater. Sweeten with sugar (3 tbsp) and flavor with vanillin.

To keep the dough from sticking to your hands and make it easier to work with, lightly oil your palms. Pinch off equal pieces of dough, flatten them into neat rounds, and place a spoonful of the apple filling in the center. Pinch the edges to seal and shape into balls. You can also shape them into hand pies.

Grease a baking sheet and arrange the buns with the seams facing down. Let them proof for about twenty minutes under a kitchen towel. Next, beat the milk with the egg yolk, brush the tops of the dough with this mixture to give the finished pastries a golden crust.