BLACK FOREST BUN

I am a part of we knead to bake group, host by Aparna of Diverse kitchen. For this month choice is Black forest bun.  Black forest bun is all about chocolate cake, cherry compote and cream. But these buns use chocolate cake and cherry compote. Since these are the Black forest buns the obvious choice of jam to use would be cherry. If you don't have that you can use strawberry compote/ jam. 

The method of kneading, rolling out the dough, covering it with the filling, and then rolling it back   is just like cinnamon rolls. You can also add chopped nuts or chocolate chips if you like. Just make sure you roll the dough, with the filling, as tightly as you can because these buns swell up quiet a bit. 

Ingredients for the dough :

1. Milk - 1/3 cup
2. butter - 50 g
3. Water - 1/2 cup
4. Sugar - 1/4 cup
5. egg - 1
6. Salt - 3/4 tsp
7. Instant yeast - 1 1/2 tsp
8. Flour / Maida - 3 to 3 1/4 cup

For filling :

1. Chocolate sponge cake - 3 cup
2. Strawberry / cherry jam - 3/4 cup

For drizzling ;

1. Semi sweet chocolate - 1/2 cup

Method :

1. Pour the water and milk in a sauce pan, and heat  till hot but not boiling. Pour this mixture into a bowl and add butter and sugar.  Stir till the butter is melted and sugar is dissolved.

2. Cool the mixture into lukewarm. If it is too hot it will kill the yeast and curdle the egg. 

3. Pour the butter mixture into a large bowl. Then add egg and yeast.. Mix with a fork.

4. Then add salt and 1 cup of flour and mix well. Add more flour, as much as necessary , And knead the dough until it smooth, elastic but not sticky.

5. Continue to knead for 10 minutes till the dough is smooth and elastic.

6. Place the kneaded dough into a well oiled bowl , turning the dough till lightly coated with oil and cover loosely. Allow to rise double in volume for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

7. Now place the  dough on a working surface and roll out into a rectangle. 

8. Spread the jam over the dough leaving a 1/2 inch.  Sprinkle the chocolate cake on top of this.

9.  Roll the dough tightly as possible. Try to pinch the dough closed as best as possible, or dampen the edge with a little water to seal well. 

10. cut the roll into 12 pieces. ( like cinnamon rolls )

11. Place them on a baking tray. Otherwise place them in a cake tin leaving enough space to expand .

12. cover loosely and allow to rise, for about 1 hour or till almost double. 

13. Bake at 180 degree for 25 to 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool completely.

14. Melt the semi sweet chocolate and drizzle over the buns.