Instructions
Dough:
Add the warm milk, yeast and sugar to a bowl and stir. Wait for 10 minutes or until the mixture looks frothy
Add the remaining ingredients of the dough and knead for 7-10 minutes (you can do this by hand or using a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment; see notes in the blog post above) until the dough is smooth, soft and very stretchy
Transfer the dough to a clean bowl with a little oil spread inside. Cover with cling wrap and place in a warm humid place for 60-90 minutes until the dough roughly doubles in size
Chocolate espresso filling:
While the dough is rising, prepare the filling. Add the butter, heavy cream, cocoa powder, coffee and sugar to a nonstick saucepan. Place on low heat and stir until everything has melted and combined
Add the chocolate and stir until it melts (you can do this over low heat or turn off the heat altogether)
Adjust the amount of coffee, sugar or cream depending on the flavor you want. The ending result should be a thick sauce that will become spreadable as it cools
Let the sauce cool down
Assembly:
Once the dough has risen and the filling has cooled, it is time to assemble. Prepare your baking pan or dish with a little butter
Turn out the dough on a lightly floured surface, and roll it into a 12x14" rectangle, using your hands to keep the sides as straight as possible
Spread on the chocolate espresso filling evenly
Divide the rectangle into 6 strips, each 2" wide and 14" long
Carefully roll up each strip to form individual chocolate espresso rolls
Place the rolls inside the baking pan / dish, and place in a warm place for another 30-45 minutes until the rolls look puffed up
Bake:
In the last 20 minutes of the second rise, turn on the oven to 375F (conventional, no fan)
Once the rolls have risen again, carefully pour over the cream evenly on top of each roll. it will flow down, don't worry
Bake for 20-25 minutes until the rolls have a light golden color on them
Frost & serve:
Prepare the icing by whisking together the ingredients, adjust quantities as needed
Spread the icing on the rolls while they are still warm
Serve & enjoy!!
