Gooey Chocolate Rolls with Icing

These Gooey Chocolate Rolls with Icing are a twist on classic cinnamon rolls. Plushy bread made from a moist brioche dough is oozing with chocolate swirl and topped with a thick layer of cream cheese icing. This dish completes the weekend brunch of your dreams. Prep and proof your dough overnight and wake up to warm rolls filled with melted chocolate and dripping with icing.

Ingredients

Dough

2 eggs

1 stick butter, cut into 1 inch pieces

3 ½ cups all purpose flour

1 ¼ cup whole milk

¼ cup granulated sugar

2 tsp yeast

1 tsp salt

Filling

6 oz Bixby Semisweet Chocolate Baking Chips

¼ cup granulated sugar

3 tbsp butter

Frosting

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

4 oz Cream cheese

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp salt

Directions: 

1. Add ½ cup milk to a microwave safe bowl and warm in the microwave until it is just warm to the touch, about 10 seconds. Add milk, 2 teaspoons of yeast, and ¼ cup of granulated sugar to a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Set aside for 5 minutes, or until foamy. If it doesn’t foam, try again with fresh yeast!
2. Cut one stick of butter into 8 pieces. Add two eggs, remaining ¾ cup of milk, 3 ½ cup all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt to the foamy yeast mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough begins to come together into a single mass. Add butter one piece at a time, every 30 seconds. Continue beating until fully incorporated, about 1 additional minute.
3. Grease a large bowl and transfer the dough into the bowl using a rubber spatula. Cover with a kitchen towel and allow to rise in a warm place for 2 hours. Every 30 minutes, fold the dough over itself a few times to build up the dough’s structure.
1. Note: this dough is quite wet and sticky, don’t be alarmed!
4. Once the dough has proofed, generously flour a clean work surface. Knead the dough about a dozen times. Roll the dough into a 12x18 inch rectangle. 
5. Prepare the filling. Add butter, semisweet baking chips, and sugar to a small saucepan over low heat. Stirring continuously, heat until melted and the sugar is dissolved, about 2-3 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, spread the filling evenly over the dough rectangle.
6. Roll the dough, lengthwise into a tight cylinder. The dough is very soft, so use a bench scraper to assist if needed. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 10 rolls of equal thickness. Place the rolls into a 9x13 inch baking dish lined with parchment paper. Cover with foil or plastic wrap and set aside to rise until doubled in size, about 60-90 minutes, or refrigerate overnight and finish the rolls in the morning.
7. Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit. Once the rolls have risen, remove the foil or plastic wrap and bake for 45-60 minutes, until golden on the top. While the rolls are baking, prepare the icing. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add 4 oz cream cheese, 1 stick of butter, 1 cup of powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Mix until completely combined and smooth, about 2 minutes.
8. Use a rubber spatula to spread the icing evenly over the hot rolls. This will help soften the edges of the rolls. Allow to cool for an additional 10 minutes before serving warm.