- Ganache Filling
- 2 oz semi-sweet chocolate - 56 grams
- 2 Tbsp heavy cream, heated until warm - 28 grams
- 1 Tbsp corn syrup or honey - grams
- 1 large egg white - 30 grams
- Topping
- 1/4 cup butter, softened - 56 grams
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar - 112 grams
- 1 Tbsp corn syrup or honey - 21 grams
- 3 Tbsp heavy cream, heated until warm - 42 grams
- Optional - 3/4 cup coarsely broken walnut pieces (not toasted) - 85 grams
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips - 170 grams
- 1 recipe basic Brioche dough
Make the sticky bun filling.
Place chocolate in a microwaveable bowl, and microwave it. Stir every 15 seconds until almost completely melted, then remove and stir until fully melted. Add the heavy cream and syrup, stir until smooth. Add in the egg white and stir until incorporated. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours, it should be firm but spreadable.
Make the sticky bun topping.
In a small saucepan, off the heat, stir together the butter, brown sugar, and syrup until the sugar is moistened. Bring to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly. Simmer for 5 minutes without stirring. This will allow the caramel to turn dark brown (there will be many bubbles). If you are using a thermometer, you want it to read 244 degrees F.
Add the heavy cream and mix it in. Continue simmering for 3 minutes to bring it back up to 244 degrees F. Pour the caramel mixture into the prepared pan and sprinkle walnuts on top (is using). Cool completely.
Fill the dough
On a well floured surface, roll the dough into a 14x12 inch rectangle. Move it around from time to time to make sure it is not sticking, add more flour as necessary. Spread the ganache filling evenly over top, going right up to the edges. Sprinkle evenly with chocolate chips. Roll it up along the long edge, so the finished length is 12 inches. For ease of cutting, place the roll on a cutting board and put in the freezer for 10-20 minutes.
Cut the rolls into slices 1-inch thick using dental floss (not mint flavoured), kitchen string, or a sharp knife. One way to do this is cut in 4 pieces, then cut each piece into thirds. Place them in the prepared pan.
Let them rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours until they double in size.
Note: If you want to bake the buns the following day, let them partially rise, then refrigerate them for up to 14 hours. They will take about 2.5 hours to rise before baking.
Bake at 375 degrees F for 25-30 minutes (internal temp 180). If the tops look like they are browning too fast, place a piece of tin foil over the pan. Cool the buns for 3 minutes, then unmold them onto a serving platter.
