CHOCOLATE, HAZELNUT AND CINNAMON BABKA BUNS
Cinnamon-spiced enriched bread dough is filled with a dark chocolate and toasted hazelnut spread and twisted, for the ultimate indulgence. Delicious with freshly brewed coffee.
Hands on time 1hr, plus proving, cooling and chilling. Cooking time about 35min. Makes 12 buns
for the dough
◆ 275ml (9½fl oz) whole milk
◆ 500g (1lb 2oz) strong white flour, plus extra to dust
◆ 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
◆ 40g (1½oz) caster sugar
◆ 2tsp ground cinnamon
◆ 2 medium eggs
◆ 100g (3½oz) unsalted butter, softened and cubed, plus extra to grease for the filling
◆ 125g (4oz) blanched hazelnuts
◆ 75g (3oz) dark chocolate
◆ 75g (3oz) unsalted butter
◆ 40g (1½oz) caster sugar
◆ 1tbsp cocoa powder
◆ 1½tsp ground cinnamon
◆ 1tbsp icing sugar for the glaze
◆ 100g (3½oz) granulated sugar
◆ ½tsp ground cinnamon
1 Begin by making the dough. In a small pan, gently heat the milk until it just begins to steam, then set aside to cool until lukewarm.
2 Put the flour, yeast, sugar, cinnamon and ½tsp salt in a large bowl or in the bowl of an electric stand mixer, making a well in the centre. Beat one of the eggs into the lukewarm milk and add to the dry ingredients, mix well until it creates a fairly dry mixture.
3 Add butter to the dough mixture one cube at a time, beating well between each addition, until it is all incorporated and creates a smooth, glossy dough. It will feel quite wet and sticky but will firm up as it is kneaded. Knead for 10min, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Transfer to a lightly greased bowl and cover with clingfilm to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1hr.
4 Meanwhile, make the filling. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. Put the hazelnuts on a baking tray and bake for 10-12min, until golden brown; set aside to cool completely. Melt the dark chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water; set aside to cool.
5 Once hazelnuts have cooled completely, put 75g (3oz) in a food processor with the caster sugar and whizz until smooth with a buttery consistency, about 1min. Roughly chop the remaining hazelnuts.
6 Add the whizzed hazelnut mixture to the melted chocolate with 25g (1oz) chopped hazelnuts, remaining filling ingredients and a pinch of salt; mix well. Cover and put in the fridge until a fairly thick, spreadable consistency, about 30min.
7 Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Once the dough has doubled in size, turn on to a lightly floured work surface and knead lightly for 1min, then roll out to a rough 35.5 x 50.5cm (14 x 20in) rectangle, cutting off any edges to create a neat shape. Spread the chocolate mixture in an even layer over the dough, then fold one of the shorter ends over two-thirds of the dough and fold the remaining third over, like an envelope, so you have three layers of dough. Lightly roll out to make it roughly 18-20.5cm (7-8in) wide and trim off any uneven ends. Transfer the baking sheet, cover with clingfilm and put in the fridge to firm up for 30min. This will make shaping it easier.
8 With the shorter side facing you, cut the dough into 12 x 2cm (¾in) strips. Taking both ends of a strip, twist a few times in opposite directions, keeping the dough flat on the surface. Tie into a loose knot and tuck ends underneath to neaten. Keep the remaining dough covered with clingfilm as you work.
9 Lay these on the lined baking sheet, about 7.5cm (3in) apart, cover with clingfilm and leave to prove for 45min-1hr, until slightly puffed up.
10 Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan) mark 5. Beat the remaining egg, carefully brush the buns with it and bake for 20min, until a deep golden brown. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over a low heat, dissolve the granulated sugar with 100ml (3½fl oz) water and the cinnamon. Increase the heat and simmer for 5min, until thickened and syrupy.
11 Once the buns have come out of the oven, brush with syrup while still warm and sprinkle over the reserved hazelnuts.
PER BUN 425cals, 8g protein, 22g fat (9g saturates), 48g carbs (21g total sugars), 2g fibre
GET AHEAD Make and shape these (up to end of step 9, without proving) the night before baking. Cover with clingfilm and store in the fridge overnight. To bake, remove from the fridge 30min before brushing with beaten egg. Complete recipe to serve, but bake for an extra 5min.