Chocolatey red velvet, brioche sourdough rolls topped with cream cheese frosting.

INGREDIENTS:

DOUGH:

✦ 300 grams ap flour

✦ 40 grams cocoa powder

✦ 40 grams granulated sugar

✦ 10 grams salt

✦ 180 grams slightly warmed whole milk

✦ 130 grams active sourdough

✦ 1 large egg, room temp

✦ 2 tsp red food coloring gel

✦ 6 tbsp very soft unsalted butter

FILLING:

✦1 cup semi-sweet chocolate

✦6 tbsp unsalted butter

✦2 tbsp honey

✦2 tbsp packed brown sugar

✦¼ cocoa powder

✦1 tsp real vanilla extract

✦½ tsp salt

FROSTING:

✦ 6oz cream cheese

✦4 tbsp room temp unsalted butter

✦¾ cup powdered sugar

✦2 tsp real vanilla extract

✦¼ tsp salt

Instructions:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar and salt. In a separate bowl whisk together the milk, sourdough, food coloring and egg.

Using the dough hook attachment with your mixer on low, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients until all of it is absorbed. Mix on medium for about 30 seconds. Cover, and let dough sit for 20-25 minutes to allow the dry ingredients to hydrate completely.

With the mixer on low, add one tablespoon of butter at a time and let it completely incorporate into the dough before adding more. Once all of the butter is worked in, turn the mixer up to medium speed and knead for 6-8 minutes. The dough should smooth, the sides of the bowl will be clean and the dough will still be sticky.

Cover the bowl with a damp cloth to complete the bulk rise-9 to 12 hours- until it is doubled in size and domed. This will take at least 9 hours, if my house is cold it has taken 12+ hours. Letting the dough ris overnight works well and if you have a proofing area in your oven 76° F is ideal for sourdough to rise.

Just before the dough has completed the bulk rise, make the filling: Set up a double boiler (a heat proof bowl set on the top of a pot with 2-3” of simmering water), and combine the chocolate chips, butter, honey and brown sugar in the bowl to melt. Once all melted together, sift in the cocoa powder, vanilla and salt. Mix to combine. Let cool and thicken slightly before assembling the rolls.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and roll into a 17” x 12” rectangle. Spread filling over the surface completely, except leave a ½” edge on the long side farthest from you (this will help you seal the filling inside after rolling).

Roll up the dough from one long edge to the other (a bench scraper is a handy tool to help this process). When you reach the end, stretch the filling-less edge up and over and pinch it into place to seal. Using a bench scraper or a very sharp knife, cut the log in half, then each side in half, and each of those in half again to make 8 even sized pieces.

Evenly space the rolls in a liberally greased 9” x 13” pan and once again cover with a damp towel for the second rise- 3 to 4 hours- until the rolls have risen about 1.5 times their size.

Just before the rolls are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 375 ° F, and once inside, bake for 25-30 minutes. The rolls should be just lightly browned, and you can always make sure a toothpick comes out clean. Be careful not to over-bake, which can sometimes cause the rolls to pull apart and the filling to leak out.

Let the rolls cool on a wire rack and prepare the frosting: using a hand mixer, beat together all of the ingredients. I like to frost when the rolls are still just slightly warm.