Children and adults alike adore these dark chocolate pan brioche swirls. These simple pastries make the perfect snack, sweet breakfast, or dessert. Not a fan of dark chocolate? Just substitute hazelnut spread.
The recipe
While we love dark chocolate pan brioche swirls any time of the year, it's particularly satisfying during the colder months.
Ingredients for six pastries
1 lb. all-purpose flour
6 oz. whole milk
4 oz. butter, softened
4 oz. dark chocolate
3 oz. superfine caster sugar
¾ oz. brewer's yeast
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
2 tsp. rum
1 Tbsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
Lemon peel
Method
Mix ¾ cup flour with the crumbled brewer’s yeast and 3 oz. whole milk in a bowl until a smooth uniform dough forms. Cover with a clean cloth and let leaven for an hour.
In a standing mixer bowl, mix the remaining flour with the sugar. Add in the remaining milk, 1 large egg, the egg yolks, lemon zest, cinnamon, and rum. Start kneading, then incorporate the leavened dough, salt, and butter. Knead the dough for around 10 minutes until smooth and elastic, then cover with a cloth and let rest for 1½ hours. In the meantime, melt the chocolate in the microwave.
Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and roll it out gently with a rolling pin until you have a 15″ x 12″ rectangle. With the long side facing you, divide the rectangle into three equal parts. Starting from the left, spread the melted chocolate onto ⅔ of the rectangle. Fold the dough into a wallet shape, starting with the section that's not covered in chocolate, then gently roll it out once more.
Cut 6 strips lengthwise and roll each one into a spiral shape. Lay each pan brioche swirl far enough apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the pastries with 1 beaten egg, cover, and let rest for around 40 minutes. Preheat the oven to 355°F, bake for around 30 minutes and serve warm.
