• Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
• Slice the peaches about 1/4 inch thick.
  2 fresh peaches, sliced

Dough

• In a liquid measuring cup, measure out the cream. Add the egg and whisk until thoroughly combined.
  6 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, 1 large egg
• In the work bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour, yeast, and sugar. Add the salt opposite the yeast - adding salt directly on yeast may hinder its effectiveness. Stir with the dough hook attachment.
  1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons instant yeast, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Attach the dough hook attachment, and on low speed, add the cream mixture and mix until a dough starts to form. Increase the speed to medium and add the room temperature butter cubes, one at a time. Allow to butter to mix into the dough before adding the next cube.
  3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into cubes
• Continue to mix the dough on medium speed until it forms a spongy ball on the dough hook - about 4 to 5 minutes. Once the dough has come together on the dough hook, pour the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for a couple of minutes until smooth.
• Lightly grease the mixing bowl you used to mix the dough (with cooking spray, neutral oil, or softened butter). Put the dough into the bowl and flip around to coat, cover lightly with a piece of plastic wrap then a dish towel. Set in a warm place in your kitchen to proof and rise until it has doubled in size - about 1 to 2 hours.

Vanilla Custard

• While the dough is proofing, make the custard. In a medium saucepan, add the cream, sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolk. Whisk together until combined. Turn on the heat to medium and heat the custard until it starts to thicken and bubble - about 3 to 5 minutes.
  3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 large egg yolk
• Removed the custard from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and butter until incorporated.
  1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• Strain the custard through a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl. Cover the custard with a piece of plastic wrap directly touching the custard - this prevents a skin from forming. Let cool and sit at room temperature until ready to use.
• Shape the Dough - After the dough has doubled in size, cut into 4 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a tight ball by gathering the edges and pinching together to seal. Gently form into a ball with your hands, and place the seam side down on the prepared baking sheet. Loosely cover the baking sheet with a piece of plastic wrap and allow the dough to proof and rise again, for another 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and adjust the oven rack to the middle position.
• After Second Rise - Using your fingers or the back of a spoon, gently press down on the center of each dough ball to form a well to hold the custard. Leave yourself enough of an edge to make sure the custard stays inside the pies.
• Mix a splash of water with the reserved egg white to make the egg wash. Brush the edges of the dough with the egg wash. Optional - Sprinkle Turbinado sugar onto the edges of the dough.
  1 large egg yolk, turbinado sugar
• Fill the wells of the dough with the custard, then top with peach slices. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the dough is golden brown and the custard has set.
• Transfer the mini pies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely and sprinkle with ground cinnamon. The Kuchen are best enjoyed the day they are baked.
  ground cinnamon