Chocolate Brioche Twists

Recipe from Bouchon Bakery Cookbook, Via Hint of Vanilla

Makes 6 mammoth twists. 

My only real tip for these is not to over bake. You want these to be steamy twists of rich dough. 5 minutes longer in the oven and you’re dealing with hockey pucks. If you are looking for a sweet hit, I would also suggest a light icing drizzle. You do you.

Recipe

Dough:

372 g all-purpose flour
8 g instant yeast
44 g granulated sugar
9 g fine sea salt
186 g eggs
63 g whole milk
167 g unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 1/8th-inch dice

Filling:

60 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
30 g granulated sugar
30 g  cocoa powder
2 g vanilla extract
10 g honey

For the brioche

1. place the flour and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and mix for about 15 seconds to distribute the yeast evenly. Add all of the remaining dough ingredients except for the butter and mix on low speed for 4 minutes.
2. Add the butter a few pieces at a time, incorporating after each addition before adding the next. Stop and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and push the dough off the hook. Mix for a total of 30 minutes on low speed.
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Fold the left side over to the right, the right over to the left, then the top to the bottom and the bottom to the top so you have a “package” with the seam at the top. Place the dough seam-side down in the prepared bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it ferment for 1 hour.
4. Repeat the folding process, place it back in the bowl, cover, and refrigerate overnight.The next morning 
5. Cream the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add the cocoa powder and vanilla powder and mix until incorporated, then add the honey and mix until incorporated.
6. Remove the brioche from the refrigerator and divide it into four equal pieces. Work with one piece of dough at a time while keeping the rest in the refrigerator.
7. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one piece of dough to 40 cm by 20 cm. If the dough becomes too warm at any point, gently place it on the back of a sheet pan lined with parchment and refrigerate for 10 minutes, then continue working.
8. Spread one-quarter of the filling onto the brioche using an offset spatula, reaching all the way to the edges but leaving 2 cm of dough bare on one of the long sides. Brush the bare part with water. Starting from the other long side, roll up the dough tightly and evenly. Once the dough is rolled up, gently roll the log until it is 50 cm in length, being careful not to squish or deform the dough. Cut each 50 cm log into two 25 cm logs.
9. Using a large knife, make a cut in the dough log, leaving 3 cm at the top uncut. Place the right half of dough over the left, then repeat until you have a “braid” of dough. Gently brush a bit of water onto the ends of the dough and press them together, then place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining doughs. You should have 8 total wreaths.
10. Place a piece of plastic wrap lightly on the surface of the brioche and let it proof in a warmish place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
11. Preheat the oven to 150C. Brush the brioche with egg wash, being careful not to drag any of the filling onto the brioche when you do, and bake until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.