Terra Rossa Cinnamon Rolls with a Cocoa Custard Filling & Cocoa Nib Crust

These cinnamon cocoa buns combine the classic comfort of pillowy yeast rolls with deep, velvety cocoa and aromatic cinnamon for a truly decadent treat.

Servings: 640g batch (about 12 buns)

Preparation time: 2.5 hrs
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Cooling time: 10 minutes

Cocoa Filling

Ingredients
100g Brown Sugar
30g Terra Rossa Cocoa Powder
4g Ground Cinnamon

Method
1. In a bowl add ingredients and whisk until well combined. Set aside until ready to use.

Nib Coating

Ingredients
40g Cocoa Nib (grounded)
150g Cane sugar (caster sugar works as well)
5g Terra Rossa cocoa powder

Method
1. In a bowl add all three ingredients, whisk until well combined. Set aside until ready to use.

Cocoa Custard

Ingredients
38g Terra Rossa cocoa powder
76g Cocoa Butter
55g eggs (1 Large egg)
150ml Milk
½ vanilla bean

Method
1. Melt cocoa butter over a bain-marie. Bring temperature between 40-45ºC.
2. Once at proper temperature, blend in the cocoa powder thoroughly. (leaving no lumps). Set aside to cool until ready for use.
3. Add the egg to a bowl and whisk. Set aside until ready to use.
4. In a saucepan, add the milk and vanilla seeds. Bring to a soft boil.
5. Temper milk into the egg. Careful not to go too fast.
6. Return mixture back to saucepan and cook until 80-81ºC. Cook on low heat.
7. Once at proper temperature, immediately remove from heat and pour over the cocoa mixture.
8. Blend with a hand-blender until smooth and glossy.
9. Carefully set a sheet of plastic film wrap over the top of the custard. (to prevent from forming a skin)
10. Set in refrigerator until completely cool.

Cinnamon Bun Dough

Ingredients
3g Active dry yeast
45g sugar (caster)
112ml Warm water
55g Egg (1 Large egg)
112ml Single Cream
388g Flour
1g salt
45g Butter ( melted)
1g ground ginger
2g ground cinnamon
1g ground nutmeg
Plus 10g Butter (melted) for brushing

Method
1. Prepare a sheet tray with parchment paper. Lightly grease the tray with bit of oil. Set aside until ready to use.
2. In a mixing bowl, add yeast, sugar and water. Whisk together until combined and let sit for about 10 minutes. (mixture should become foamy)
3. While the yeast is activating, add cream and egg to a bowl and whisk until well combined.
4. In another bowl, sift together all dry ingredients. Set aside until ready to use.
5. Once yeast mixture is foamy, add dry ingredients to the mixing bowl. Mix with Dough hook attachment on medium speed. Mix until dough forms.
6. Gradually add the cream and egg mixture along with the butter to the mixing bowl.
7. Mix dough until it starts pulling away from the sides of the bowl.
8. Place dough onto prepared sheet tray, form dough into a rectangle shape. Very lightly grease top of dough and cover with plastic film wrap. Let sit in refrigerator overnight or let rise double in size for same day use.

Assembly

Method
1. Once dough has risen double in size. Roll out to about 2cm thick. (Note: if dough was set to rise overnight, take out of refrigerator and let come to temperature for about 5- 10 minutes) It is easier to work with a cold dough, to prevent from early proofing.
2. With an off-set spatula, spread the cocoa custard evenly over the dough. (Leave about 1cm space free of custard from the border)
3. Generously coat the custard with the cocoa filling.
4. Roll dough into a log. Set in freezer for about 15-20 minutes for a cleaner cut of portions.
5. At the same time, pre-heat oven to 175ºC. Prepare muffin molds by slightly greasing them with oil.
6. Once dough has cooled and set hard. Cut portions (5 cm thick), place in prepared molds and let rise for 30-40 minutes. (Note: only cut desired number of portions to be baked, the rest can be kept wrapped and frozen until ready to bake)
7. Once dough has risen to almost 1.5 of its size in the molds. Bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Once baked to a nice golden brown color, Remove from oven and let cool in molds for about 10 minutes.
9. At the same time, melt some butter. Prepare a sheet tray with Nib coating.
10. Brush (with a pastry brush) buns with butter then proceed to roll the buns in the nib coating. Make sure to have a generous coating.
11. To be served immediately.

Recipe by: Talia Profet. Supplied by deZaan.