Chocolate and Roses Cake

Being in the army actually makes me crave baking. I think about it all week and when I get home, I can't wait to get my hands into some flour. (I think they call it withdrawal...) All this past week, I was thinking about what to bake to bring to my hosts for Shabbat. I knew chocolate would be a must, so I browsed through my copy of the Israeli cookbook, More Chocolate (expect to see more recipes from there, soon!) and settled on the recipe for Chocolate and Roses Cake, which is, get this, chocolate buns baked into a chocolate cake batter. (It sounds more difficult than it actually is but I split up the work, making the dough and filling Thursday night and finishing the cake on Friday.) I actually think it's quite impressive and the look of it when cut is kind of cool, with the swirls from the chocolate filling and all. (No picture, it was Shabbat!) For me, the highlight of this recipe was the chocolate filling. Liquid when hot, when cooled, it turns into a mixture identical to the chocolate butter my mother makes every Pesach, which is very nostalgic for me. It's also just insanely good and rich, so I think it'll be my go to filling for buns or babka or kokosh now. (There was leftover dough and filling so I made a cake of just chocolate buns. That was a hit. One of the kids said next time I should just make that. Then again, another one loved the chocolate covered chocolate challah. Can't win 'em all!) I did find the cake needing to be a bit more chocolatey, so next time I would up the cocoa powder. Anyway, hope you give this recipe a try. Happy and healthy new year! This cake is off to Yeastspotting!

Chocolate and Roses Cake
from More Chocolate

Yeast dough:
2 3/4 cups flour
1 1/3 tsp instant yeast
1/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup water
1 egg
pinch salt
2 tbsp oil

Chocolate Filling:
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar
3 1/2 tbsp cocoa
50 grams margarine
3 1/2 ounces dark chocolate

Cake:
3 1/2 ounces dark chocolate
2 tbsp water
100 grams margarine
1 tbsp cocoa
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup minus 3 tbsp self rising flour

For the dough, place all of the ingredients in the bowl of your mixer and mix with the dough hook on medium speed until the dough comes together and is smooth. DO NOT add any more flour, this is a soft, sticky dough that will firm up in the fridge overnight.

Place the bowl into a greased bowl and turn to coat. Cover and chill overnight.

To make the filling, place all of the ingredients into a saucepan.

Melt until smooth. Pour into a container and allow to come to room temperature, or chill overnight.

Here is my dough the next day.

To make the cake batter, place the eggs and sugar in the bowl of your mixer. Beat on medium high until thick and you hit the ribbon stage.

Nice.

While the eggs are beating, place the rest of the ingredients into a saucepan

and melt until smooth.

Pour this mixture and the flour into the eggs and using a whisk or spatula, gently fold together.

Pour into a greased springform pan. Mine is 24 cm. Use whatever you have around.

To assemble, divide the dough in half. Roll out on a well floured surface.

Spread with half of the chocolate filling. If it's too cold, it might be tough to spread.

Roll up jelly roll style, and cut into buns.

Place the buns into the chocolate batter and let rest for ten minutes. During this time, preheat the oven to 325.

Bake the cake until a toothpick comes out clean and the buns are lightly golden on top.

Let cool for a few minutes before releasing the ring to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired. Enjoy!