Recipe of Choco German Bread Recipe: Filipino Bakery-Style Buns at Home

Ingredients

• For the dough:
• 500 g bread flour (4 cups)
• 100 g white sugar (½ cup)
• 10 g dry yeast (2¼ tsp; instant or active)
• 5 g salt (1 tsp)
• 1 large egg + 1 yolk, at room temperature
• 250 ml whole milk, warm (max. 40 °C / 104 °F)
• 60 g butter, softened at room temperature
• 1 tbsp milk powder (optional, for a softer crumb)
• For the chocolate filling:
• 60 g unsweetened cocoa powder
• 70 g powdered sugar
• 50 g butter, softened
• 1-2 tbsp milk (only if the paste is too thick)
• For the crunchy topping (streusel):
• 60 g all-purpose flour (½ cup)
• 50 g white sugar (¼ cup)
• 45 g cold butter, cut into small cubes
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 beaten egg, for brushing (optional)

Directions

1. 1

   Warm the milk to 37-40 °C (104 °F), warm to the touch but not hot; dissolve the yeast in it with a teaspoon of sugar and let it stand for 5-10 minutes, until it foams on the surface.

2. 2

   Mix the flour, the remaining sugar, the salt and the milk powder in a large bowl; add the egg, the yolk and the yeast mixture.

3. 3

   Knead for 5 minutes until combined, then add the softened butter; keep kneading 5-7 minutes more, until you get a smooth, elastic, slightly sticky dough that passes the windowpane test.

4. 4

   Shape it into a ball, cover with a cloth or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm spot for 1-1½ hours, until doubled in size.

5. 5

   Make the filling: beat the cocoa powder with the powdered sugar and the softened butter until you get a smooth, spreadable paste; set aside.

6. 6

   Make the topping: rub the flour with the sugar, the salt and the cold butter with your fingertips until coarse crumbs form; chill it while the dough rises.

7. 7

   Punch down the dough gently and divide it into 12 pieces of about 80 g; round each piece and flatten it into a 10-12 cm disc.

8. 8

   Place a heaped teaspoon of filling in the center of each disc, pinch the edges firmly to seal and arrange the buns seam-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spaced apart.

9. 9

   Cover them and let them rise for 30-45 minutes; preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F); brush with the egg wash and sprinkle the topping generously over each bun.

10. 10

    Bake for 15-18 minutes, until golden brown and the crust is cracked; let them cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes and serve warm.