Shared by Chaya Rappoport
Shared by Chaya Rappoport
Chocolate Schnecken (German Sweet Buns)
Yield: 15 schnecken
Chocolate Schnecken (German Sweet Buns)
Yield: 15 schneckenFamily Journey
Kishinev, MoldovaBasel, SwitzerlandSt. Gallen, Switzerland
ZurichBrooklynMonsey, NY
Brooklyn and Israel
“Schnecken, German for snails, are a traditional German sweet bun, so called because of the snail shells they resemble when they’re rolled up into spirals. They’re often made with cinnamon, nuts or raisins, but I like my Bubby’s iced, chocolate version best,” explains Chaya Rappport. “Her dough is soft and supple, enriched with both oil and butter, and she combines cocoa with two types of sugar and oil for a darkly rich chocolate filling. These buns come together relatively quickly and make a nice amount (they’re also easily doubled) — just don’t forget to ice them as soon as they come out of the oven so the icing can seep into the buns and harden deliciously on top.”
Read more about Chaya’s family in "A Swiss Spread for Shabbat Afternoons" and try her recipes for laugenbröt (lye bread), rösti with gruyere, and zwetschgenwähe (Swiss plum tart).
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk, warmed in mic
- 1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into cubes
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
For the filling:
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cups vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
For the egg wash:
- 1 egg, beaten
For the glaze:
- 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation
Step 1
Make the dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve the yeast in ½ cup of the warm milk and mix with 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Let sit until foamy and bubbling, around 10 minutes.
Step 2
Add the rest of the milk, the remaining sugar, the eggs, the vegetable oil and the vanilla and salt to the bowl. Mix with a whisk attachment to combine.
Step 3
Add the flour to the bowl and mix until smooth on medium speed. Switch to a dough hook and knead to make a smooth, soft dough, adding in the butter one piece at a time as it kneads, around 5-7 minutes. When finished, the dough will be smooth, slack and very wet.
Step 4
Place the dough in a well-greased bowl, cover and let rise for 30 minutes on the counter. Place in the refrigerator, covered, and let rise for another 1 hour.
Step 5
Make the filling: in a bowl, combine the sugars, cocoa, oil and salt until it resembles wet sand. Set aside.
Step 6
Assemble the schnecken: on a well-floured counter, roll out the dough into a rectangle about 18 inches wide and 12-15 inches long. Dollop chocolate mixture over the dough and spread it smooth using a spatula or your hands, leaving a ½ inch border around the dough. Roll dough lengthwise into a tight spiral.
Step 7
Using a very sharp serrated knife, cut the log into 1 1/2-inch buns. Arrange the buns cut side up on a baking paper covered sheet pan, leaving at least 2 inches of space between each bun. Brush tops of buns and tops of sides with the egg wash. Leave at room temperature to proof for another 15 minutes, until puffed a bit.
Step 8
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the buns for 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned and the buns have an internal temperature of 190 degrees F. Let cool 10 minutes before glazing.
Step 9
To glaze: whisk ingredients together until smooth. Drizzle over the buns. Serve warm.
