Soft, tasty bread filled with Hazelnut spread and cocoa powder, these Chocolate Hazelnut Rolls use a dough recipe that needs only one rise, and easy enough for bread beginners to do.
This recipe is so close to my heart because it reminds me of my early days of attempting to make bread and encountering so many fails. This is one of those recipes that saved my face after numerous bread making disasters.
Now, as I look back, I am just thrilled to see how my confidence has improved and that is because of my conscious will to never stop trying. I had fails after another but what can I do? I cannot stop. The idea of smelling the aroma of fresh bread from the oven served as my motivation to learn.
The original recipe is actually made into cinnamon rolls, but today, I bring these to you in a slightly different variation- Chocolate Hazelnut Rolls. These are soft and fluffy bread filled with irresistible hazelnut spread, cocoa powder and brown sugar.
Unlike most bread recipes here on the blog, these rolls require only one rise. That is why this recipe is a friendly one especially if you are trying to make yeasted dough for the first time. This also does not require the stand mixer.
While some of you might say that using a stand mixer is more of like the beginner route, I would say that this dough recipe does not take long to knead by hand and is perfect for beginners so they can have a grasp on how a well-kneaded dough should feel like.
And besides, kneading by hand can be therapeutic.
Chocolate Hazelnut Rolls: The Process
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. Melt the butter in the microwave and add the milk and water. Heat this liquid mixture in the microwave until it reaches 110 F.
Add the butter mixture to the dry ingredients in the bowl. Mix together using a wooden spoon.
Add the egg,
then add the remaining flour little by little, mixing after each addition. Only add sparingly-you may not need the entire 1/2 cup.
You only need to see the dough gather in the center and cleaning the sides of the bowl. After this consistency is achieved, stop adding the flour.
Turn the dough over in a floured board. Knead for about ten minutes, adding a little flour just to avoid the dough from sticking to the board or to your hands.
Kneading the Dough
Here are some indication that will tell you that you have kneaded enough:
- From being shaggy and sticky, the dough will start to take shape, be more smooth and more elastic as you knead.
- If you poke the dough using a finger, the indention you create will quickly be filled up again by the dough rising or fighting back to your touch.
- If you pull out a small portion of dough and spread it with your fingers, the dough can stretch so thinly until it is translucent before finally breaking. This is called the window pane test.
Let the dough rest for ten minutes. Roll it into a 14 x 8 inches rectangle. Spread the hazelnut spread over the surface. Combine brown sugar, cinnamon and cocoa and sprinkle this mixture over the hazelnut spread.
With the long side nearest you, roll the dough into a tight log. Use a sharp knife to cut the log into 10-11 portions. Arrange them on a lightly greased 9 inch round cake pan with about half an inch of space in between. Press the rolls down so that they are about the same height.
To let the dough rise, you have two options:
- Let them rise, covered with plastic, at room temperature. Or,
- Pre-heat oven to 200 F. Once reached, turn off oven and place rolls inside, uncovered. Let rise until double in size, 60-90 minutes.
Baking the Rolls
Pre-heat oven to 375 F. Bake rolls for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden. These chocolate hazelnut rolls are delightful and soft, and every bite brings you warm and flavorful chocolate cream that will make you want more.
Enjoy!
Looking for more chocolate treats? Also try Chocolate Walnut Bread, Chocolate Brioche or Chocolate Croissants.
Chocolate Hazelnut Rolls
Ingredients
- 2 and 1/4 cups all purpose flour plus 1/2 cup reserved.
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 and 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 egg
- 40 grams butter
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup milk
For the Filling
- 1/2 cup Hazelnut Spread (like Nutella)
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
-
In a large mixing bowl, combine yeast, flour, sugar and salt. Melt the butter in the microwave and add the milk and water. Heat this liquid mixture in the microwave until it reaches 110 F.
-
Add the butter mixture to the dry ingredients in the bowl. Mix together using a wooden spoon. Add the egg, then add the remaining flour little by little, mixing after each addition. Only add sparingly-you may not need the entire 1/2 cup. You only need to see the dough gather in the center and cleaning the sides of the bowl. After this consistency is achieved, stop adding the flour.
-
Turn the dough over in a floured board. Knead for about ten minutes, adding a little flour just to avoid the dough from sticking to the board or to your hands. From sticky and shaggy, the dough will be smooth, elastic and can stretch thinly if you take a little portion out and spread it using your fingers.
-
Let the dough rest for ten minutes. Roll it into a 14 x 8 inches rectangle. Spread the hazelnut spread over the surface. Combine brown sugar, cinnamon and cocoa and sprinkle this mixture over the hazelnut spread.
-
With the long side nearest you, roll the dough into a tight log. Use a sharp knife to cut the log into 10-11 portions. Arrange them on a lightly greased 9 inch round cake pan with about half an inch of space in between. Press the rolls down so that they are about the same height.
-
Let the dough rise: Cover the rolls with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 12 hours OR pre-heat oven to 200 F. Once the oven reaches the temperature, turn off heat and place the rolls inside with the door closed. Let rise for 60-90 minutes.
-
Preheat oven to 375 F. Bake the rolls for 15-20 minutes or until the lightly golden. Store leftovers at room temperature on a tightly covered container.
Recipe Notes
Dough recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction
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