Everyone's Favorite Chocolate Sticky Buns

The first time I flipped through Deep Dark Chocolate: Decadent Recipes for the Serious Chocolate Lover by Sara Perry and Jane Zwinger, I knew I was going to be making these.  It was just a matter of time.  That time came Easter weekend, which gave us a Sunday on which we could enjoy a leisurely morning.  I made the buns the night before and left them for a slow rise in the fridge overnight.  In the morning, about 8 hours later, they were perfectly oven-ready.

These were almost too decadent, if that is possible.  Don't worry, we managed.  The whole point of these is to mimic the sticky goodness of brown sugar caramel buns but with chocolate.  Next time I would like them just as well without the topping; I mean, they're still chocolate cinnamon buns!  And super, super yummy either way.

Everyone's Favorite Chocolate Sticky Buns

Buns

2 1/4 tsp (1 package) active dry yeast

1/3 cup warm water (110-115 degrees)

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp salt

3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose or bread flour, divided

1 large egg, at room temperature

Topping

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for the pan

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

3 T premium unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Filling

2/3 cup granulated sugar

4 tsp premium unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 T unsalted butter, melted

2 1/2 ounces premium dark chocolate, chopped

To Make the Buns: In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and stir to combine. In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the milk and add the butter, sugar, and salt, stirring until the butter melts. Transfer to the large bowl of a stand mixer and let cool to lukewarm.

Add 3/4 cup of the flour to the milk mixture and mix on low speed until blended, about 1 minute. Add the egg and beat on medium speed until well combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. Beat in the yeast mixture until well blended. Gradually stir in enough of the remaining flour, a little at a time, to make a soft dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Using the dough hook on your mixer, knead until smooth, satiny and no longer sticky, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased, large bowl and rotate the dough to grease the top. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Once the dough has doubled, press down, replace the plastic wrap, and let it rest for 10 minutes.

To Make the Topping: Lightly grease a 9x13 metal baking pan with butter or cooking spray. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the 1/2 cup butter. Stir in the brown sugar, corn syrup, and cocoa powder. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Pour the syrup into the prepared pan and tilt the pan so the topping evenly coats the bottom. Sprinkle the pecans over the brown-sugar sauce.

To Make the Filling: In a small bowl, mix the sugar, cocoa and cinnamon until blended. Using a rolling pin, shape the dough into a 12x8-inch rectangle, with a long side closest to you. Brush the dough with the melted butter. Sprinkle the filling over the buttered dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border at the far edge. Sprinkle the buttered filling with the chopped chocolate. (Drooling yet?) Roll up the dough lengthwise, beginning with the long edge closest to you. Moisten the border with water and pinch the ends to form secure seams. Cut the roll into 12 slices and place each slice, cut side down, into the prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled, about 40 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350. Bake until the buns are golden, about 27 minutes. Turn out of the pan immediately onto a large serving platter. Let cool for about 5 minutes before serving. The buns are best eaten warm or at room temperature within hours of baking.

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