Pistachio, Citrus and Dark Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

These rolls make a decadent brunch, served warm from the oven, with a pot of good strong coffee on the side.

Ingredients

FOR THE DOUGH

• 240ml / 8fl oz whole milk

• 50g / 1 3/4 oz unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus extra for greasing

• 400g / 14oz strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting

• 7g / 1 1/4 oz fast-action dried [active dry] yeast

• 3/4 tsp fine sea salt

• 1 large egg, lightly beaten flavourless vegetable oil, for oiling

• 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten, for brushing

FOR THE FILLING

• 80g / 2 3/4 oz pistachios, finely chopped

• 115g / 4oz soft dark brown sugar

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 80g / 2 3/4 oz dark chocolate (between 70–80% cocoa solids), chopped

• 50g / 1 3/4 oz mixed citrus peel

• 80g / 2 3/4 oz unsalted butter, soft

Cocoa by Sue Quinn

Directions

To make the dough, heat the milk in a small pan until almost boiling. Remove the pan from the heat, add the butter and stir until melted. Set aside to cool to lukewarm.

Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the flour, yeast and salt together. Add the whole beaten egg and then the cooled milk. Knead with a dough hook attachment for 5 minutes or turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead by hand for 8–10 minutes. The dough will be quite sticky at first but becomes smooth and elastic as you knead –– add a little more flour if it’s too wet to work with.

Place the dough in a large lightly oiled bowl (it will expand considerably) and turn over to coat. Cover with a clean tea [dish] towel and set aside somewhere warm for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

While you’re waiting, mix all the filling ingredients, except the butter, together. Butter a 23-cm / 9-in round loose-bottomed or springform cake tin with sides at least 5cm / 2in high. Wrap the base in foil, as the filling sometimes melts and seeps out a little.

When the dough has risen, press down on it to let the air out and tip out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll into a rectangle roughly 35 x 25cm / 14 x 10in, making sure the middle is no thicker than the edges. With the long side of the dough parallel to the edge of your work surface, spread the butter evenly over the top. Sprinkle over the filling and press down on it gently. Working with the long side, carefully roll the dough into a sausage shape, like a Swiss [ jelly] roll.

Cut into 7 equal pieces each about 5cm / 2in long and arrange, cut-side up, in the prepared tin: place one roll in the centre and the others around it, with a little space in between. Cover with a clean tea towel and set aside for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180ºC / 350ºF / Gas mark 4.

Brush the tops of the rolls with the beaten egg yolk and bake for 20–25 minutes until golden on top. Leave in the tin for 5 minutes, then release and pull apart when cool enough to handle. These are delicious served warm but will keep well in an airtight container for a couple of days.

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