These buns are a treat I never knew I needed. I prefer to eat them warm straight from the oven, it's like a hot cross bun's sexy cousin. Make sure you use good quality dark cocoa powder and chocolate drops to get the tastiest buns.
Chocolate Buns
¼ cup milk
¼ cup water
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
80g butter, softened
315g flour
20g dark Dutch processed cocoa powder
200g chocolate chips
1 egg, whisked
Whisk milk, water and first measure of flour in a small saucepan until smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until a very stiff paste forms (it should resemble mashed potatoes), about 2 minutes. Transfer to bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.
Heat 2 Tbsp milk in a small bowl in the microwave, until lukewarm (about 10 seconds). Add yeast and whisk, until dissolved. Let this sit until mixture is thick and/or foamy, about 10 minutes.
To the mixing bowl with the paste in it, add sour cream, sugar, salt, egg, softened butter, remaining flour and cocoa. Scrape in yeast mixture and mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms. Increase speed to medium and mix, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally and adding more flour by the tablespoonful if sticky, until dough is smooth and supple, this should take 8–10 minutes.
Scrape dough onto a work surface and form into a smooth ball; dust lightly with flour. Place inside a clean, large bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a silicone lid. Let sit in a warm spot until doubled in size, this should take 1–1½ hours.
Meanwhile, coat a baking dish (I used a 25x25cm square) with some softened butter. Uncover dough and punch down lightly. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pour the chocolate chips onto the dough and do a few kneads to incorporate them. Cut the dough ball in half, then cut each half into 4, to make 8 buns.
Working with 1 piece of dough, gather all the corners and pinch together to form a teardrop shape. Place seam side down on work surface. Cup your hand over dough and drag across surface, moving your hand in a rapid circular motion, to form dough into a tight ball. Do not add flour, as you want friction between the dough and the surface. Place ball in prepared pan and repeat with remaining pieces of dough.
Cover pan with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm spot until rolls are nearly doubled in size, 45–60 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Bake buns for 25–30 minutes until puffed and pillowy. Let cool in pan 5 minutes. Slide a spatula around sides of pan to loosen rolls, then slide a metal spatula underneath to loosen the bottom. Place on a board for serving and pull apart.
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