Syrup-soaked sweet-bread filled with chocolate and walnuts

I will admit it – when it comes to “sweet-bread” I’m very picky 🙂

My mother has a very good recipe, but it’s very laborious. I tried to find a perfect balance between: the work invested, the time consumed, and the result obtained.

After numerous tests and trials, I can say that I found the best and most balanced version.

So, the quantities are for 2 “sweet-breads” (the trays used are approximately 25cm/12cm). My “sweet-bread” is composed of 3 parts, each of equal importance 🙂

Ingredients (for 2 “sweet-breads”):

For the dough:

• 530 g white flour
• 100 g white sugar
• 20 g fresh yeast
• grated zest from 2 oranges
• 1 spoon rum essence
• 3 eggs
• 120 ml milk
• a pinch of salt
• 150 g butter at room temperature

For the filling:

• 200 g dark chocolate
• 130 g butter
• 40 g cocoa
• 50 g powdered sugar or granulated sugar
• 200 g coarsely chopped walnut kernels

For the syrup:

• 230 g sugar
• 130 ml water
• 130 ml Cognac/Brandy/Porto Wine/Cointreau, etc. (I have used all of these variations on various occasions when I have made the “sweet-breads” and any of them works very well and offers a fragrant and pleasant result – the idea is to use an aromatic and sweet alcoholic drink)

You can, of course, make the syrup from water and sugar only, but then make sure to add 180 ml of water.

Preparation:

Very important: the dough must be prepared the day before, so keep this in mind when calculating the time you need.

In the bowl of a mixer/dough robot (or in a large bowl if you will knead by hand), put the flour, yeast, and sugar and mix well. Then add the orange peel, rum essence, eggs, milk and salt and mix until you obtain a compact dough. Add the butter cut into cubes (at room temperature) and mix on medium speed for about 5-7 minutes. You will obtain a sticky and elastic dough.

Transfer the dough in a bowl greased with a little sunflower oil, put foil on top and refrigerate for 12-20 hours.

On the 2nd day, prepare the filling.
In a large bowl, place the chocolate broken into pieces and the butter. Microwave in 30-40 second intervals and mix with a fork. When the ingredients have melted completely, add the sugar and cocoa, mix well until everything is incorporated and set aside.

On a floured surface, place the dough and knead it a little. Form a ball and cut it into 2 equal parts.

Using a rolling pin, roll out half of the dough as best as you can. (not very thin).
Add half of the chocolate spread and sprinkle half of the nuts.

Roll carefully, gather the ends and cut lengthwise in two. Arrange the halves with the filling facing up and braid them.

Transfer to a tray lined with baking paper. Proceed with the other half in the same way, you will have two “sweet-breads”.

Let them rise for approximately 1.5 hours, in a warm place.

Turn on the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and when it has heated up, transfer the “sweet-breads” to the oven and bake them for approximately 50-55 minutes or until they pass the toothpick test.

In the meantime, prepare the syrup: boil all the ingredients for the syrup together and when it starts to boil, leave it to boil for about 1-2 minutes over medium heat. Boil it untill the sugar is completely melted and the alcohol is evaporated.

When the cakes are baked, remove them from the oven and let them cool for ~15 minutes. Then, with the help of a large spoon, pour the syrup evenly over them and leave them to soak for at least 2 hours before consuming them.

I promise you can’t go wrong with this recipe.

If you try the recipe, let me know how you liked it! 💜

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