9:00 PM: In your mixing bowl, dissolve the 3g of instant yeast into the 100g of water and 110g of milk. Stir in the 60g of active sourdough starter, 1 large egg, 60g of sugar, and 10g of salt.

Dump all 500g of high-protein bread flour over the liquids. Mix carefully by hand or on the lowest speed of your mixer just until a rough mass forms, then add the 40g of soft room-temperature butter.

Mix only until the butter disappears into the shaggy dough. Note: There is absolutely no need to develop strong gluten right now; the dough can look slightly lumpy. The gluten network will naturally map and smooth itself out completely overnight.

Wrap the shaggy dough securely in plastic wrap and transfer it directly to the refrigerator to rest until the next morning.

8:00 AM – The Butter Block: Place your 250g of cold roll-in butter between sheets of parchment paper. Roll it out into a flat, uniform geometric block measuring roughly 7×9 inches (18×25 cm). Place it in the fridge for 15 minutes to stay firm yet pliable (ideally around 64°F / 18°C).

The Encapsulation: Remove your dough from the fridge and roll it out into a wide 12×31 inch (30×80 cm) rectangle. Place your prepared butter block cleanly onto the dough sheet and fold the outer edges over it, pinching the seams tightly to lock the butter inside.

The Lamination Folds: Carefully roll the dough package out lengthwise. Cut the uneven short edges off and place them on top of the dough mass to relieve rolling tension. Fold the sheet into thirds like a business letter (1st single fold). Turn the dough package 90 degrees, roll it out lengthwise a second time, trim the edges, and execute another letter-fold (2nd single fold).

Wrap the folded dough in plastic and let it rest in the refrigerator for exactly 1 hour to chill the fats.

9:15 AM – Shaping: Roll the chilled dough out into a neat 12×20 inch (30×50 cm) rectangle with an even thickness of about 4 to 5 mm.

Cut the sheet lengthwise into 12 even strips measuring roughly 1×3 inches. Roll each strip up tightly from bottom to top like a cinnamon roll, and pinch the bottom edges underneath to secure the layers.

Press each rolled pastry into a greased cruffin mold or a large muffin tin lined with tall tulip wrappers. Use your finger to poke a deep, clean hole straight through the center of each roll to establish a deep cavity for the future filling.

Cover loosely and let proof on your counter for 4 to 5 hours at a warm 74–78°F (24–26°C) until doubled in volume. Alternatively: Keep them in the fridge during the day, then pull them out at 9:00 PM to proof slowly overnight at a room temperature of 68–72°F (20–22°C) for fresh breakfast baking!

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Slide the puffed trays into the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the flaky outer layers turn a rich, deep golden brown. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

The Pastry Cream: While they cool, heat your 250g of milk and 250g of heavy cream in a saucepan over low heat. In a separate bowl, whisk together the 100g of egg yolks, 100g of sugar, 10g of flour, and 20g of cornstarch. Slowly temper the yolks with a ladle of the warm milk, pour everything back into the saucepan, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens into a rich custard. Stir in the seeds of 1 vanilla bean and let cool.

The Cherry Compote: In a clean saucepan, cook your 1/2 cup of frozen cherries over low heat until they release their juices, then stir in the orange zest and 1/2 cup of orange juice. Whisk 3 tablespoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon of cornstarch together in a small cup, dump it into the bubbling cherries, and stir constantly until it thickens into a glossy jam. Let cool.

Assembly: Insert a sharp knife straight down into the top center of each baked cruffin and wiggle it gently to open up the internal pocket. Fill a piping bag with your cooled pastry cream and inject it generously deep inside the cavity, then spoon a vibrant dollop of the tart cherry compote right on top.