bittersweet tahini & chocolate buns

heavy on the sesame

was there ever a better pairing than tahini, chocolate, and black coffee?

using unhulled tahini gives these buns an extra hit of nutty, bittersweet depth

yields a dozen buns

ingredients

bun dough

250mL milk

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 egg

460g plain flour

7g instant yeast

65g brown sugar

5g salt

zest from one lemon

60g butter, room temperature

tahini chocolate filling

120g tahini (i prefer unhulled for the flavour)

40g cocoa powder

80g brown sugar

0.25 tsp salt

assembly

sesame seeds to sprinkle

egg or milk wash

method

bun dough

add the milk (250mL) and cinnamon (1 tsp) to a small pot and heat gently to infuse the milk

let cool slightly, then mix in the egg (1)

add the flour (460g), yeast (7g), brown sugar (65g), salt (5g), and lemon zest (from one lemon) to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer

mix to form a rough, shaggy dough

slowly add the butter (60g) a spoon at a time, kneading in between

knead until the dough is soft, supple, and passes the windowpane test (this will take about 10-15 minutes with a stand mixer, longer by hand!)

cover and let rise in a warm place for one hour

tahini chocolate filling

add the tahini (120g), cocoa powder (40g), brown sugar (80g), and a pinch of salt to a bowl, mixing well to combine

microwave in 15-second increments if required to melt the tahini and sugar together

assembly

tip the proofed dough out onto the work surface and pat down lightly

roll out to a 1cm thick, 24cm long rectangle

generously spread the tahini chocolate filling over the dough

roll up into a 24cm long log

cut into twelve rolls and arrange on a lined baking tray

cover lightly and let rise in a warm place for 90 minutes

towards the end of the proofing period, preheat oven to 180°C

right before baking, brush the buns with an egg or milk wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds

transfer the buns to the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes

best eaten warm on the same day