How to Make Chocolate Twist Buns

These chocolate twist buns are made with Gesine Prado’s homemade Simple White Bread dough. Gesine used a couple simple ingredient swaps (potato/pasta water and butter) for a softer and richer dough.

Swirls of decadent chocolate filling are nestled between layers of soft and fluffy dough for a delicious treat any time of the day!

See our Simple White Bread for Beginners blog for step-by-step dough making instructions and video tutorial. Scroll down for printable recipe.

Tips for preparing the twists:

Baker’s tip: Place rolled out dough onto a piece of parchment paper before chilling. This makes it easier to fold into thirds. Carefully pull the parchment paper off the dough after each fold.

Spread the chocolate filling evenly over the rolled out dough.

Note: This recipe is easy to customize with your favorite fillings. Try a savory filling for an appetizer or after school snack.

Fold bottom third over to the middle, and then fold top third over to middle.

Divide dough into 16 equal pieces.

Get ready to twist! See video below for a twisting tutorial.

Place buns on parchment-lined sheet pans; cover with plastic wrap and let rise.

Bake until golden brown. Enjoy!

Chocolate Twist Buns

Swirls of decadent chocolate filling are nestled between layers of soft and fluffy simple white bread dough for a delicious treat any time of the day!

Yield 16 buns

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Ingredients

Dough

• 2 cups (454g) lukewarm water, about 100℉ (see notes)
• 2 tablespoons (25g) extra virgin olive oil (or soft butter)
• 2 teaspoons (12g) fine sea salt
• 1 tablespoon (10g) granulated sugar
• 5 cups (600g) bread flour
• 1 (0.25oz) package (7g) or 2 1/4 teaspoons  Platinum Yeast

Filling

• 8 ounces baking chocolate (60-70% cacao)
• 1 stick (113g) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup (57g) confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup (21g) Dutch cocoa powder

Simple Syrup

• 1/2 cup (113.5g) water
• 1/2 cup (99g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp (2g) vanilla

Instructions

• In a large mixing bowl, add the water, olive oil, salt, and sugar.
• Add the flour to separate bowl and then the yeast. Stir/whisk to combine. Add to the water mixture
• Using a wooden spoon or a Danish dough whisk, stir until most of the flour is absorbed into the dough. Turn the dough over with your hands in the bowl a few times to work in the rest of the flour. The dough will look very shaggy.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Set aside a small bowl of flour (this is called 'bench flour’) to use during kneading as needed.
• Knead the dough by gently flattening the dough into a rough 8×11-inch rectangle. Grab the top half and fold over, folding the dough in half. Use your palm to push dough forward, "sealing" the dough at the fold seam. Turn the dough 90 degrees and fold, seal and turn again. Knead for 10-12 minutes, or until the dough is shiny and smooth and stays put when shaped into a taut ball.

  Another way to test if the dough is kneaded enough is to poke it with your index finger, and if the dough springs back it is ready.
• Place the dough into an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to double in size in a warm place, about 1 hour.
• Chill dough: After the bulk fermentation, press the dough into a rough rectangle on a parchment-lined sheet pan sprayed with non-stick spray. Cover with plastic and place in the freezer for 20-30 minutes.
• Make the filling: Melt baking chocolate and butter in pan on stove (or microwave-safe dish in the microwave), stirring often. Remove pan from stove. Stir in confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder until combined.
• Remove dough from freezer and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll dough into a 20×12-inch rectangle. Spread chocolate filling evenly over the dough. Fold the dough into thirds to create a 20×4-inch rectangle. Slice into 16 4-inch long strips. Gently stretch each strip and twist. Form into a round by twirling the twisted strip around your finger, then tucking end under. Place on a silicon baking mat or parchment-lined sheet pan.
• Proof until double in size, approximately 45-60 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350˚F.
• Bake 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.
• Prepare simple syrup: In a small pan, add water, sugar and vanilla. Heat on stove until sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally. (Or use microwave-safe dish and heat in microwave.) Set aside until buns are baked.
• Remove pan from oven. Immediately brush simple syrup over bread.

Notes

You can use leftover water from cooking potatoes or pasta for a softer dough.

Recipe by Gesine Prado.

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Gesine Prado is a self-taught baker, teacher and author. Visit Gesine’s website for more of her delicious recipes.