• Author: Kate Wood
• Prep Time: 120
• Cook Time: 30
• Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
• Yield: 18

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 1 cup (230 gm) milk (2% or Whole), lukewarm
• ½ cup (100 gm) sugar
• 2-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 3-1/2 cups (455 gm) all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 6 tablespoons (85 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature

For the filling:

• 6 ounces (170 gm) chopped semisweet/ bittersweet chocolate, depending on your preferences
• 6 tablespoons (85 gm) unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon espresso powder
• ½ cup (60 gm) powdered sugar

For the frosting:

• 6 ounces (165 gm) cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 2 cups (250 gm) powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1-2 tablespoons of milk, plus more as desired

Instructions

To prepare the dough:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the warm milk and half of the sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over top of the milk and allow the yeast to activate, about 5 minutes. The mixture should froth and foam slightly. You can stir it gently to make sure all the yeast has been moistened, but if the yeast does not foam, dump it out and start over. Once the yeast has been activated, stir 1/4 cup of the flour in to the milk mixture. Once combined, add the remaining sugar, 1 egg, salt, and baking powder and stir to combine. On low speed, add an additional 3 cups of  flour and beat to combine, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Once evenly combined, increase the speed to medium (I use speed number 4 on my Kitchen Aid stand mixer) and add the softened butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Add up to an additional ¼ cup flour if the dough is too soft and doesn’t hold it’s shape somewhat. Scrape the sides of the bowl and then continue to beat on medium speed for an additional 4 minutes. The dough will be quite moist and sticky.
2. Lightly grease a large bowl and place the dough inside, covering it tightly with a piece of plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rest in a warm spot in the kitchen until it has approximately doubled in size, about 1-1/2-2 hours.

To prepare the buns:

1. Once the bread has nearly risen, melt the chocolate, butter, cocoa powder, and espresso powder in a saucepan over low heat. Once smooth, stir in the powdered sugar until well combined. Set aside until the dough is ready. If it firms up beyond a spreadable consistency, gently melt it again.
2. On a floured surface, roll out the risen dough into an approximately 19”x13” rectangle. Use an offset spatula to spread the chocolate filling evenly over the entirely of the dough. Starting with one of the long ends, roll the dough somewhat tightly and pinch together the ends to seal in the filling. Cut 1-1/2” slices of dough and place them about an inch apart inside of a greased baking dish. I bake mine in two 9” pans. Cover the dishes with plastic wrap and allow them to rise a second time until puffed, about 30 minutes. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. Once the buns have risen, remove the plastic wrap and bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until a light golden color. Allow to cool.

To prepare the frosting:

1. Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add sugar and vanilla, beating until evenly combined. Add milk slowly, 1-1/2 teaspoons at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Add extra liquid to thin out frosting to a drizzling glaze. Spread the frosting evenly over the buns and eat while warm!