When I first got my hands on Green & Black’s second chocolate book Ultimate, there was one recipe in particular that leapt out of the page at me. It called to me, oh so seductively and it came to the inevitable point that I could resist no longer. When Nazima of Franglais Kitchen, who is hosting this month’s We Should Cocoa, decided bread was to be this month’s theme, I was reminded that I had never actually got around to posting about Arianna’s amazing chocolate cinnamon rolls.
Arianna was taught to make these rolls by her Norwegian mother. She is a pastry chef now baking cakes at her own bakery in London: Bittersweet Bakers. I’m sure my rolls look paltry in comparison, but my goodness, they were good to eat.
The more things I try and juggle, the more my poor brain loses capacity and I can no longer remember if I followed this recipe exactly or not. Suffice it to say that there was a lot of sugar, cinnamon and 70% chocolate involved. Unusually, fragrant vanilla seeds were scraped into the yeasted dough which itself was enriched with egg, butter and milk. In addition to the sugary cinnamon and chocolate filling, the rolls were also cooked in a decadent cinnamon sauce. I made 20 rolls rather than the 16 specified and they were plenty big enough. I don’t feel comfortable just copying the recipe when I am unable to put my own spin on things, so you will have to go directly to the book. I’ve checked the G&B website for an online recipe, but had no success in finding one. You should be able to borrow a copy of the book from your local library if you don’t have one of your own. I do try and write up what I have done soon after doing it to avoid memory loss, but sometimes I don’t quite manage it. What I do remember, however, is just how good those rolls tasted.
These would make for a very special breakfast and would also be suitable for Breakfast Club, the theme of which is chocolate this month.
I’m submitting this to Bookmarked Recipes with Jac of Tinned Tomatoes as it had been bookmarked for quite a long time before I ever got around to making it.
I’m also entering this into Calendar Cakes as the theme is Bread, Rolls and Buns this month. CC is hosted alternately by Laura Loves Cakes and Dolly Bakes.
Chocolate, cinnamon and bread – what’s not to like! they sound delish!
A really lovely recipe – I have the G and B cookbook so need to dig it out!
thanks for letting me host WSC last month – I am going to finally do roundup tonight!
I love these chocolate cinnamon rolls – yum!
Absolutely love cinnamon rolls, they remind of America which makes me happy 🙂 bet they are even better with chocolate too. I’ve only ever seen chocolate ones without the cinnamon! Yum yum.
YUUUUUUUUUUUUM! These look fab…chocolate must be the ultimate addition to a Cinnamon Roll…and I can only imagine how good these would taste warm!! Thanks for entering Calendar Cakes 🙂
Chocolate and cinnamon sauce in a scrolls sounds scrummy. I am really sad that I am too busy to do some chocolate bread for WSC – just a bit crazy in trying to get life organised for our holiday but I have so many chocolate bread recipes I would love to try – this will be added to the chocolate bread stable 🙂
Oh my goodness, those look very delicious. I would like one, or maybe two right now with my cup of tea.
mmm how delicious. I have a fondness for Nigella’s cinammon buns – chocolate could only improve them. I see some experimenting coming on
Wow – I love cinnamon rolls and am tres excited at the thought of adding chocolate to them!
How fantastic do they look – superb and a great addition to the WSC challenge too. I am really struggling to come up with an idea for this month … wish I had thought of these now lol
They look truly delicious and indulgent.
I can imagine they tasted wonderful!
These look delicious! Might have to put the book on my Christmas list.
Ooh yum, I love cinnamon rolls. Now the weather’s a bit colder it’s definitely time to start some hearty breakfast baking!
Oh YUM! These chocolate rolls look so good! Love to have some NOW!
Wow! They look amazing. I really miss cinnamon rolls and the little bit of chocolate sounds delicious.
I think they look really delicious:))
They look great – I made sticky buns recently and realised just how good they were. Delicious for breakfast! I’ve just posted my WSC and it’s suitable for Breakfast Club too – I’m loving the excuse for eating chocolate for breakfast – it’s the perfect way to start the day 🙂
Glad you approve Caroline. Those Scandinavians are really on to something with their sticky buns 😉
Mmm, yummy! That particular recipe has been on my ‘to bake’ list for a while – I think I’ll have to try it soon as these look great! 🙂
It was on my list for an awfully long time Susie – get on and make it, I doubt you’ll regret.
LOVE cinnamon rolls and have tried a chocolate version before so that was one of the things I first thought of for WSC this month, but not sure they would look as good as yours!
Oh but aren’t they fantastic Nat? I bet yours looked every bit as good as mine. Next time I was thinking I might try a cardamom version.
they look wonderfully light and fluffy… and I love all the crunchy sugar on top… gorgeous… i’ve just made a braided chocolate loaf and it was a bit of a disaster… still cooling down so not entirely sure what its going to be like…
Dom thank you, they were rather good. You’ve made a braided loaf as well as your swirl loaf? I call that enthusiastic 😉
I love your recipes for the specific reason that you always put your own spin on a recipe which is something i love to do myself. I am dying to make cinnamon rolls and your version with the added chocolate has made me realise I must get baking them. Your dough looks amazingly light and fluffy. Just perfect!
Thank you Laura, you always say the nicest things. The dark chocolate 150g of it was chopped small and scattered over the dough before rolling.
Love them!!!
Happy week end
Thanks Manu – hope you have a good weekend too.