Twisted Beauties: Chocolate and Salted Pistachio Babka Buns

The very first time I saw the photo of Edd Kimber's "Chocolate and Salted Pistachio Babka Buns," I added them to my to-bake list. I love pistachios and chocolate, and the photo of the shiny, twisty buns was so alluring that I couldn't resist.

I used my KitchenAid mixer to make the dough, which made the process quite easy. I put bread flour, sugar, salt, yeast, and lemon zest into my mixer bowl; added an egg and a lukewarm mixture of milk and melted butter; and used the dough hook to knead the dough until it was smooth and elastic. I put the dough in an oiled bowl and let it rise until doubled.
 
Then I rolled out the dough into a large rectangle; spread on a chocolate filling made from melted butter and dark chocolate, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder; and sprinkled on pistachios and flaked salt. The dough wasn't sticky and was easy to handle. I folded the dough in half to enclose the filling and nuts inside; cut it into thin strips; and twisted each strip and coiled it into a bun shape. The most challenging part of the process was trying to corral the pistachios, which were prone to falling out of the thin strips of dough. I did the best I could to tuck the wayward pistachios back in.
I let the shaped buns rise until puffy, brushed them with egg wash, and baked them until golden. While the buns were still warm from the oven, I brushed them with vanilla syrup and sprinkled more pistachios on top.
 
I thought the buns were gorgeous. They had a permanent shiny finish from the simple syrup, and even though the buns were not uniform, I thought each unique twisty shape was beautiful in its own way. The chocolate flavor was prominent and the crunchy pistachios were a perfect complement. That said, I thought the bread could have been a bit softer and fluffier. Although I suppose I can't complain, because the buns lived up to their name. Babka is quite sturdy and doesn't fall into the "fluffy" bread camp. But I suppose I couldn't help comparing these to the Cinnamon Swirls from Meyers Bageri, which are tender and light. Then again, those cinnamon swirls are a whole heck of a lot more work. Making these babka buns requires very little active time, and yet the results look so impressive. The modest investment of time yields a handsome return!

Recipe: "Chocolate and Salted Pistachio Babka Buns" by Edd Kimber, from Olive Magazine.
 
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