Dark Chocolate Buns with Chocolate & Peanut Butter Chips

It almost seems like chocolate flavored bread is the most commonly baked around my house. My kids simply prefers that flavor and perhaps an occasional white or wheat. And usually when I bake chocolate bread, it is good enough to be eaten on it's own, so pretty much save me the trouble for spreads or condiments. This time I wanted to use up the peanut butter chips that has been sitting in my fridge for awhile. So I used both chocolate and peanut butter chips, to have double the "yumminess" !

Sorry if this bread looks like some lumpy chocolate cake. -_-" Somehow the idea of baking the buns in my 8" by 3" round cake pan seems appealing. :) I didn't want to bake it in a loaf tin again like the previous time, and so this. Although this time round I have adapted the Tangzhong method instead of the 17hr pre-fermented dough technique.

If you ask me which recipe is better, I have to say the 17hr pre-fermented dough technique for sure. Somehow this Tangzhong chocolate bread didn't turn out as soft as I expect it to be and it didn't stay soft after the end of the 2nd day. :P Nevertheless, it was still very good the first day and my family enjoyed it very much. So if you want to try out a small batch, here is my recipe, feel free to halve it.

Recipe for Dark Chocolate Buns with Chocolate and Peanut butter chips:

Tangzhong dough:

30g bread flour
150ml water

Whisk the bread flour and the water together in a heat proof saucepan. Heat the mixture at low heat till it thickens and ribbons stage.

Main Dough:
350g bread flour
20g unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Valrohna)
74g beaten whole egg
All of the above Tangzhong mixture
60g caster sugar
6g salt
6g instant active yeast
50ml fresh milk
50g chocolate, chopped small and melted
40g unsalted butter, room temperature

60g semisweet chocolate chips
60g peanut butter chips

Method:

1. Knead everything together except for the butter. Knead till the dough is no sticky. Add in the butter and continue to knead till it passes the window test. Takes about 15 to 20 minutes on stand mixer.
2. Let the dough proof covered for 1.5hrs or till double in volume. Punch out the air and let divide into 10 or 12 equal portions. Roll round and let rest for 10 minutes before shaping.
3. Grease the baking tin / pan and preheat the oven to 175C.
4. Take a dough portion and roll flat into a flat disc. Sprinkle some chocolate chips and peanut butter chips on it and roll it up like a swiss roll. Seal the edges nicely and then again roll the log up into a coil / swiss roll. Place it in the prepared pan and repeat the shaping steps with the rest of the dough portions.
5. Let the dough proof till it fills about 90% of the pan. You can choose to brush the bun tops with egg wash but I opt not to this time. Then bake in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes.
6. Once baked, remove from oven and remove from the pan and let cool completely before serving.

The chocolate and peanut butter chips makes this chocolate bun much tastier then it already is. I guess I need to improve on this recipe to make it stay soft even on the next day after. But if you are making a small batch, it is still worth baking this delicious bread minus the long 17hr waiting time. :)

Submitting this post to this month's Aspiring Bakers #8 - Bread Seduction (June 2011) hosted by Jasmine from Sweetylicious. Thanks Jasmine! :)

Have a nice weekend all!