February 2, 2015 This is comforting cake, that reminds me of my childhood, when the smell of chocolate and cinnamon spreading through the house was like a spell I could not resist. The moist centre of this cake is pure heaven.
The intertwining layers of chocolate and sweet brioche gives this afternoon tea cake a magical appearance.
- 1 kg plain flour
- 30 g dry yeast
- 200 g unsalted butter
- 180 ml full cream milk
- 200 g sour cream
- 4 eggs
- 150 g sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 140 g dark chocolate 70% cocoa solids
- 40 g dutch cocoa chocolate
- 200 g unsalted butter
- 150 g sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 70 g tahini paste
- 1 egg
- Using a stand mixer, fitted with a dough hook, mix the flour, sugar, salt and yeast, together on low speed.
- Add the melted butter, sour cream, milk and eggs mix together, on a low speed for 10-15 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Transfer to a lightly buttered bowl, cover and stand until doubled in size (11⁄2 - 2 hours).
- While the dough is chilling, you can prepare the chocolate filling.
- Place chocolate and chopped butter in stainless steel bowl and set over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl does not touch the water. Stir chocolate and butter while they slowly melt.
- Remove the molten chocolate and butter from the heat and sift in the cocoa powder and cinnamon and mix to combine.
- Add sugar and tahini and mix to combine.
- Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes or until chocolate filling is thickened to a spreadable consistency.
- Knock back the dough and divide into four. Working with one quarter at a time, roll dough on a lightly floured surface into a 20cm x 32cm rectangle. With longest side facing you, spread the chocolate filling. Roll away from you to form a cylinder.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the roll in two, lengthways, from the top to the bottom. Position the cut sides facing up, gently press the ends together. Lift the right half over the left half. Repeat with the left half over the right half and press the ends together to seal it.
- Carefully lift the cake and place into the loaf pan, (6cm-deep, 8cm x 27cm), lined with baking paper. For a round cake you can use a round baking tin.
- Brush the top of the cake with egg wash.
- Repeat the process with the remaining dough. Then, leave to rise in a warm place for 1 1⁄2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 170 °C. After the cakes have risen, bake on the middle shelf for 20-35 minutes, bake until golden brown.
- Make the syrup while the cakes are in the oven. Place the sugar and water into a saucepan over a medium heat. As soon as the sugar dissolves and the syrup starts to boil, remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool.
- When the cakes are baked and are out of the oven, brush them with the sugar syrup.
- Remove the cakes from the tins to cool down completely.
• You can make the dough the night before and chill in the fridge.
• When baking, if the top gets too brown you can cover it with a sheet of aluminium foil to protect from drying out and over baking.
• You can sprinkle crushed roasted hazelnuts, pecans or walnuts on top of the chocolate filling before rolling the dough.
• You can chill the cylinder of the rolled dough before cutting lengthwise to help keeping the layers of chocolate and dough separate.
