Chocolate Cinnamon Meringue Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Yield: 12 cinnamon rolls
 
The chocolate in the meringue gives the filling a fudgy texture!
ingredients:
Dough
  • 4 cups (600 g / 1.5 lbs.) flour
  • ¼ cup (55 g / 2 oz.) sugar
  • ¾ teaspoon (5 g / ¼ oz.) salt
  • 1 package (2 ¼ teaspoons / 7 g / less than an ounce) active dried yeast
  • ¾ cup (180 ml / 6 fl. oz.) whole milk
  • ¼ cup (60 ml / 2 fl. oz. water (doesn’t matter what temperature)
  • ½ cup (135 g / 4.75 oz.) unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
Swiss Meringue
  • 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 pinch cream of tartar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons dark, unsweetened cocoa powder
Chocolate Cinnamon Filling
  • 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1½ cups (170 g / 6 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips or coarsely chopped chocolate
  • 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted (optional)
Frosting
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 tablespoon or more milk or cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
directions:
Make Dough
  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 ½ cups (230 g) of the flour, the sugar, salt and yeast.
  2. In a saucepan, combine the milk, water and butter and heat over medium heat until warm and the butter is just melted
  3. With an electric mixer on low speed, gradually add the warm liquid to the flour/yeast mixture, beating until well blended. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes. Add the egg
  4. s and 1 cup (150 g) flour and beat for 2 more minutes.
  5. Using a wooden spoon, stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a dough that holds together. Turn out onto a floured surface (use any of the 1 ½ cups of flour remaining) and knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough is soft, smooth, sexy and elastic, keeping the work surface floured and adding extra flour as needed.
  6. Place the dough in a lightly greased (I use vegetable oil) bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let rise until double in bulk, 45 – 60 minutes.
Make Swiss Meringue
  1. Once dough is risen and ready to roll, fill a medium saucepan one quarter full with water. Set the saucepan over medium heat, and bring water to a simmer.
  2. Whisk together egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the heatproof bowl of electric mixer, and place over saucepan. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, about 3 to 3½ minutes. Test by rubbing between your fingers.
  3. Transfer bowl to electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and whip, starting on low speed, gradually increasing to high until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 10 minutes. Add vanilla, salt, and cocoa powder and mix until combined and thick.
Combine Filling
  1. In a medium bowl, Combine dark brown sugar, cinnamon, chocolate chips or chunks, and nuts if using. Set aside.
Assemble, Proof, and Bake Rolls
  1. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough a few turns, then using a rolling pin, roll out into an 18-inch x 24-inch rectangle. Spread the Swiss meringue over the rectangle, leaving the bottom 1-inch meringue free for sealing. Sprinkle the cinnamon brown sugar-chocolate mix evenly over the meringue, leaving that 1-inch bottom uncovered and clean.
  2. Starting at the top, from the 24-inch side, tightly roll dough toward you, using the last 1-inch edge to seal roll. Gently wrap roll in plastic wrap, then place roll in freezer for about 20 minutes so you can get clean cuts with no ooze and smushing of the dough. Score the roll every two inches, then cut into 12 equal (2-inches each) pieces. Grease a 9”x13" baking dish and place rolls in it cut side down. Cover dish with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  3. When rolls are doubled, place in preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until nicely browned.
Make Frosting
  1. Beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. On low speed, stir in powdered sugar until combined and thick. Slowly drizzle in milk or cream until you reach a consistency desired (I like it a little thick, so only used 1 tablespoon milk). Stir in vanilla and salt and beat once more. Spread or drizzle frosting over warm rolls. Serve warm because that's when they're the best!
Recipe by parsley sage sweet at https://parsleysagesweet.com/2011/03/27/when-life-gives-you-meringue-coffee-cake-make-chocolate-meringue-cinnamon-rolls/