Chocolate Hazel Nut Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
4 cups unbleached flour
1 cup whole milk or Half & Half
6 tablespoons of unsalted butter – melted, and cooled slightly
4 tablespoons raw sugar
1 large egg – beaten
2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 ¼ teaspoons vanilla salt
1 ½ cups raw sugar or light brown sugar
1 cup of hazelnuts
½ cup of unsalted butter, melted and cooled
¼ cup 100% cocoa powder
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
3 cups powdered sugar
5 to 6 tablespoons of heavy cream
Directions
In a small saucepan over medium heat, add milk and gently warm until about 100 degrees. Whisk in the 2 tablespoons of the raw sugar and the yeast, make sure there are no lumps. Let sit for about 3 to 5 minutes, it will start to form little bubbles and foam.
While the yeast is doing its thing, in a bowl that fits on the stand mixer, whisk together the flour, remaining raw sugar, baking powder, and salt. Place on the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, not the dough hook.
Turn on the mixer to the second lower setting, add milk mixture, followed by the egg, you will need to scrape down the bowl and the paddle from time to time. Now add the melted butter, mix until combined.
Turn out onto a floured work surface and kneed the dough for about 5 minutes, until smooth and shiny.
Place in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap, and place in a warm and draft-free space for about 1 ½ hour to 2 hours. The dough should double in size.
Punch dough down, cover and chill for about an hour.
Place the Hazelnuts, raw sugar, cinnamon, and cocoa into the food processor and run until the hazelnuts are small pieces and the mixture is well combined, while running drizzle in half the melted butter, once a ball starts to form turn off.
Remove dough from the fridge and place on a floured work surface and roll out into a 16 by 10-inch rectangles about ¼ inch thick. Brush dough with some of the remaining melted butter, spread out the hazelnut mixture, pressing it into the dough, drizzle with any remaining butter.
Roll the dough up on the 16-inch side, into a tight coil, pressing as you are rolling, to make sure there are no air gaps between the dough and the filling.
Cut the roll into about 9 slices, these should fit into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish that has been lined with parchment paper. Cover dish with plastic wrap and let prove for about 1 hour, you want them to rise but not double in size.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and bake rolls, remove the plastic wrap, for about 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown and the filling starts to ooze and caramelized.
While the rolls are baking make the sugar glaze, place powdered sugar into a bowl, and then add a tablespoon at a time of the heavy cream whisking until the desired thickness has been achieved. It should be combined but thick, it will melt when added to the hot rolls.
Remove rolls from oven and drizzle the glaze on top, let cool slightly remove having at the rolls – Enjoy.