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Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

Chocolate brioche, chocolate-cinnamon filling, chocolate ganache, and red hots make these the perfect treat for Valentine's Day.
Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls
Yield 12 rolls

Ingredients

Sponge

  • 1 (0.25oz) package (7g) or 2 1/4 teaspoons Platinum Yeast
  • 1/4 cup warm water (110-115°F)
  • 3/4 cup lukewarm milk (80°F)
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar

Dough

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 3/4 teaspoons table salt
  • 4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
  • 2 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled to room temperature
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

Filling

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter

Chocolate Ganache Glaze

  • 8 ounces semisweet chocolate
  • 5 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • Red Hots candy for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  • Make the sponge: Whisk together yeast and water in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Let stand for 5 minutes. Mix in remaining sponge ingredients, forming a thin batter. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature until bubbles form, about 30 minutes.
  • Make the dough: Sift flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, and salt into sponge. Add yolks and melted chocolate, and mix with paddle attachment on low speed for 2 minutes, until yolks are fully incorporated. Increase to medium speed; knead for 5 minutes or until smooth and satiny. On medium low speed, add butter, one tablespoon at a time.
  • Switch to dough hook; knead until well developed, smooth and shiny. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size; about 2 hours. Punch down and rise again until double, about 45 to 60 minutes (or refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight).
  • Make the Filling: combine the sugar, cinnamon, and unsweetened cocoa in a small bowl.
  • (If dough is refrigerated, let sit on counter for about an hour, then proceed.)
  • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Using a rolling pin, roll dough into a rectangle approximately 12x16 inches. Use a pastry brush to coat the entire surface of the dough with the melted butter. Sprinkle the filling evenly over the surface of the dough, leaving a 1-inch margin at the top edge.
  • Heart-shaped rolls: Starting from the long side closest to you, roll up the dough only to the middle. Repeat with side farthest away from you, rolling it towards you up to the middle.
    (OR for traditional-shaped rolls: starting from the long side closest to you, roll up the dough like a jellyroll.)
  • Transfer the rolled dough to a greased or parchment paper-lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10 minutes. This will make cutting the buns easier.
  • Using a bench scraper or very sharp knife, cut the rolled dough crosswise into 12 even-sized pieces, about 1 1/2-inches thick. Pinch bottom to create a point for the bottom of the heart. Arrange rolls about 1 inch apart in a greased or parchment-lined cake pan. (Or place each bun in a greased muffin cup, cut side up.) Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until the buns have doubled in size, about 1 1/2 - 2 hours.
  • Toward the end of the proofing, preheat the oven to 400°F.
  • Adjust the rack to the center of the oven, with a baking sheet on the lower rack to catch drips. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn down the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for 15-20 minutes more, or until the crust is golden (slightly hard to tell with the chocolate - be careful not to burn them!).
  • Make the chocolate ganache: over a double boiler simply add the chocolate, butter, and cream and whisk constantly until smooth. Set aside.
  • Let rolls cool for about 10 minutes. Spread ganache over rolls and top with red hots (optional).

Notes

Recipe by Sweet Recipeas.