BLACK FOREST BUNS

Black forest buns is the recipe chosen for this month in our baking group " We Knead to Bake ". These buns have a filling of cherry compote and crumbled chocolate cake. If you like you can flavour the compote with a little kirsch. In case you cannot find cherries you may substitute it with strawberry compote or cherry / strawberry jam. Vegetarians may skip the egg.
The method of kneading, rolling out the dough, covering it with the filling, and then rolling it back is just like making cinnamon rolls, so it shouldn’t be too difficult. You can also finely chopped nuts (toasting them first improves flavour) or mini chocolate chips if you like.
You can always halve the recipe to make 5 or 6 buns and if so, then roll your dough rectangle out to approximately 11” by 4” instead of 11” by 8”.

For the Dough:
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk
50 gm butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg (at room temperature, optional)
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp instant yeast
3 to 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

For the Filling:
3/4 cup cherry/ strawberry jam or compote
2 1/2 to 3 cups crumbled chocolate sponge cake


For drizzling:
1/2 cup chopped semi-sweet chocolate
or
You may garnish with Chantilly cream and cherries

To make Strawberry Compote

Strawberries .. 200 gms
Sugar .... 2-3 tbsps (depending on the sourness of strawberries)
Kirsch ... 1 tbsp (optional)



Method:

Wash and cut the strawberries. Blend them in a mixie.
Cook them in a thick bottomed pan adding sugar.

Stir continuously until the sugar is dissolved and the texture is thicker. Let it cool. Add the kirsch at after cooling if you like it.







Take half a  cup of lukewarm water and add a little sugar. Sprinkle yeast on top and leave it for 4-5 minutes until it becomes frothy.

Pour the water and milk in a saucepan, and heat on the stove till quite hot but not boiling. Pour this liquid into a large bowl and add the butter. Stir till the butter is melted. Let this mixture cool down till it is lukewarm,

You may knead the dough by hand or in the processor which is my usual preference. Pour the lukewarm mixture into the processor bowl (if using) and add the yeast and the egg. Pulse a couple of times to mix well.hen add about 1 cup of the flour and mix well. Add the salt and more flour, as much as is necessary

 Once the mixture becomes difficult to mix, turn it out onto your work surface. Add more flour and continue to knead for about 10 minutes till the dough is not sticky and elastic.

Place the kneaded dough in an oiled bowl, turning the dough till lightly coated with oil. Cover it loosely.

 Keep in a warm place and  allow to double in volume, for about 1 - 1 1/2 hours.

Crumble the chocolate cake like bread crumbs

Now place the dough on a flat surface and roll it out into an approximately 18” by 12” rectangle (or 9" by 12" if using half the recipe).

Spread the cherry or strawberry compote/ strawberry jam over the leaving a 1/2 inch all around.

Sprinkle the chocolate cake crumbs on top of this.

 Roll the dough away from you, as snugly as possible, starting with the 18” edge like a jam/ jelly roll (as for cinnamon buns). Try to pinch the dough closed as best as possible, or dampen the edge with a little water to seal well.

Cut the roll into 1 1/2" wide pieces with a very sharp knife/ dough scraper. You should have 12 pieces for the full recipe and 6 for half of it.  (I have made half quantity )

Make collars using foil or parchment paper to fit well around each piece to give a good height to the buns  and avoid them from sticking together and flattening

 Place each piece in a prepared collar and then on a greased baking tray..  Cover loosely, and allow to rise, for about 1 hour or till almost double. Brush them with egg white or milk to give a glaze.

Bake at 180C for 25 - 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool completely. Remove each bun carefully from the foil collar.

 Drizzle with melted chocolate and serve. Or you can decorate them with chantilly cream and a cherry on top like I have done.

Note: This recipe makes 12 Black Forest Buns. Just make sure you roll the dough, with the filling, as tightly as you can and well because these buns swell up quite a bit.

Linking to:
We Knead to Bake - Bread # 25 @ My Diverse Kitchen

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