Looking for something with sugar, spice and everything nice? Well, lucky for you these buns contain all of the above. Soft, fluffy, and filled with spiced chocolate that make for a delicious treat. You can enjoy these twisted treats as a decadent breakfast, or for afternoon tea. These are quite easy and fun to make, and I have no doubt that they will definitely become your next favorite baking project.
With summer almost ending, I wanted to create something to bring in the upcoming autumn season. To kick off my first “fall” recipe for 2020, I developed these delicious chocolate cardamom bread knots. Why? I wanted something with spice. Nothing of the pumpkin spice level, but enough to give the buns a little kick to it. And I don’t know what it is about chocolate and cardamom together, but they just work well. The cardamom adds depth to the chocolate and enhances the flavor. It’s so delicious, you gotta try it!
Cardamom is quite a complex flavor, and has quite a strong aroma. The type of cardamom I used in this recipe is green cardamom, and it’s most commonly seen in supermarkets. This produces a zesty almost citrusy flavor, and if used properly it can be somewhat sweet and spicy at the same time. It’s a pretty strong and aromatic spice, and so a little bit goes a long way. You wouldn’t want to overdo it with this spice.
A few tips:
- Fresh ground cardamom has a stronger flavor than the pre-ground ones. If you decide to use the pre-ground cardamom, you might have to add a bit more for the flavor to come through.
- Use a cupcake pan! Using a cupcake pan will make it easier to get a more uniform bread knot and it will hold all 12 pieces in there. You won’t need to worry about them touching either.
- Melt your chocolate in the microwave in 15 second increments. This will help the chocolate melt gently and it will ensure that the chocolate does not burn. Optionally, you can use a double boiler.
If you’d tried this recipe out let me know in the comments! Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram @flouredframe and don’t forget to tag me when you create my recipes! And subscribe to my YouTube channel! Happy baking!
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Cardamom Bread Knots
Equipment
- Food scale or measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Heatproof silicone spatulas
- Small saucepan
- Cupcake pan
Ingredients
Dough:
- 42 grams Vegan butter (softened and cubed)
- 288 grams Non-dairy milk (I used soy, warm (100°F))
- 2 teaspoon Active dry yeast
- 500 grams Bread flour
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 50 grams Granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Freshly ground cardamom (or 1 ½ teaspoon - pre-ground cardamom)
Chocolate Spread:
- 113 grams Semi-Sweet Baker’s Chocolate (roughly chopped)
- 70 grams Vegan butter, cubed
- 55 grams Brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Freshly ground cardamom (or 1 ½ teaspoon - pre-ground cardamom)
Simple Syrup:
- 50 grams Granulated sugar
- 50 grams Water
Instructions
Dough
- Remove butter from the fridge, and allow it to soften at room temp for about 30-45 minutes. Mix the yeast and warm non-dairy milk until the yeast has dissolved. Set it aside for 10 minutes to bloom.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the bread flour, salt, sugar, and cardamom. When your yeast mixture is bubbly and foamy, add it to the bowl with the dry ingredients.
- With the dough hook attachment, mix on low for 5 minutes, until a shaggy dough has formed. Scraping down the sides of the bowl if needed. As the dough continues to knead, add the softened butter, one tablespoon at a time until it has fully incorporated in the dough. Increase the speed to 2, and let the dough knead for another 10-12 minutes. You should get a soft and supple dough, that bounces back as you lightly press on it.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and tuck the ends of the dough underneath itself. Transfer it to a work surface and lightly knead it to a get smooth top. Then using your hands to move the dough into a circle, using your pinky fingers to encourage the dough to tuck into itself.
- Lightly grease the same bowl, and place the dough inside. Cover with a damp cloth and set it in a warm spot. Allow it to rise for 1 ½ - 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
Chocolate Spread & Simple Syrup
- Meanwhile, chop up the Baker’s chocolate into smaller pieces. This will help the melting process go by a little more quickly. Place it in a microwavable safe bowl, and add 5 tablespoons of butter. Place the chocolate and butter in the microwave, and heat it up every 15 seconds, stirring in between, until it has completed melted. Whisk in the brown sugar and cardamom until fully incorporated and smooth. Place it in the fridge until ready to use.
- Add water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar has dissolved. Let the syrup come to a simmer. Remove from heat, set it aside, and allow it to cool.
Assembly & Baking
- When the dough has doubled in size, punch down the dough to release the gas. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Lightly pull the dough to encourage it to a square shape.
- With a rolling pin flatten the dough into a rough 20x20 inch square. Turn the dough after every few rolls, and if you notice the dough sticking too much to the work surface gently flap the top and bottom dough and continue rolling. When you get a rough square, do one more gentle, so that the dough doesn’t stick to the surface.
- Remove the chocolate spread from the fridge. Spread it across the surface of the dough. Leaving at least ½ inch of the edge bare. Take the bottom of the dough and bring it up halfway. Gently press over the fold to release any trapped air. Take the top half and fold it over, and press out any trapped air.
- With a ruler, measure and score 12 equal spaces. It should be at least 1 ½ inches in between. Take a sharp knife and cut the rough edges on both sides. Then cut over the score lines. Working with one strip of dough at a time, cut two slits leaving a ¼ inch uncut at the top. Braid the pieces and pinch at the ends. From the top roll down the braid and place it in a cupcake pan. Repeat for every strip of dough.
- Cover the pan with a damp towel, and set it in a warm spot. Allow it to proof for 30-45 minutes until it has noticeably doubled in size. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bake the knots for 20-25 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Remove from the oven, and while they are still hot brush the simple syrup over each one, you want the syrup to soak into the bread knots. Let the knots cool for 15 minutes in the pan. Then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Fresh ground cardamom has a stronger flavor than the pre-ground ones. If you decide to use the pre-ground cardamom, you might have to add a bit more for the flavor to come through.
- Use a cupcake pan! Using a cupcake pan will make it easier to get a more uniform bread knot and it will hold all 12 pieces in there. You won’t need to worry about them touching either.
- Melt your chocolate in the microwave in 15 second increments. This will help the chocolate melt gently and it will ensure that the chocolate does not burn. Optionally, you can use a double boiler.
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