This started as a way to use up starter that had been sitting in the fridge a little too long, and turned into one of those recipes I keep coming back to. Soft matcha dough, a dark chocolate and hazelnut-adjacent filling with a spoonful of peanut butter tucked in, and a tangy cream cheese glaze poured on while the rolls are still warm. If you're not a matcha person, skip it, the dough works fine without it too.
These are enriched and yeasted, not a lean sourdough bread, so don't expect the usual bulk-fermentation rhythm here. Starter is doing flavor duty, not the main leavening.
The ingredients
You'll need
Dough- 150g sourdough discard or starter
- 400g bread flour (or all-purpose)
- 120g milk, lukewarm
- 60g neutral oil (coconut oil is my favorite here)
- 1 large egg
- 40g granulated brown sugar
- 8g matcha powder, ceremonial grade (optional, for color and flavor)
- 3g instant yeast
- 7g salt
- Zest from 1/2 lemon
- 100g dark chocolate, melted with 1 tbsp coconut oil, cooled slightly
- 2 tbsp peanut butter (or any nut butter, or skip it)
- 50g crushed pecans (walnuts also work)
- 40g brown sugar
- 3-4g cinnamon
- 60g cream cheese
- 80g mascarpone
- 30g cooking cream
- 1 tbsp honey, or more to taste
- 2ml vanilla extract
- Optional: 1 tsp matcha, to keep the glaze in theme
Making the dough
Whisk the milk, sugar, and yeast together and let it sit 5 minutes until a little foamy. Mix in the starter, egg, oil, lemon zest, and salt.
If you're using matcha, turn it into a smooth paste with a splash of milk first, that stops it from clumping once it hits the dry flour. Add the paste, then the flour, and mix to a soft dough.
Knead 7-10 minutes by hand, or about 10 minutes in a stand mixer on medium, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
First rise
Cover and let rise somewhere warm until puffy, roughly 1.5 to 2 hours. It won't necessarily double, you're looking for puffy and relaxed, not maxed out.
Filling and rolling
- Roll the dough out into a large rectangle on a lightly floured surface.
- Spread the melted chocolate mixture evenly, then dot the peanut butter over top.
- Scatter the crushed pecans, brown sugar, and cinnamon over everything.
- Roll up tightly from the long edge into a log.
- Cut into 9-12 even strips and arrange them in an oiled baking dish, cut side up.
Second proof
Baking and glazing
- Preheat the oven to 190C.
- Pour about 120ml of cream over the rolls just before baking, it keeps them soft and gives the bottoms a slightly custardy edge.
- Bake 25-30 minutes, watching in the last few minutes so the tops don't overcook.
- Whisk together the cream cheese, mascarpone, cooking cream, honey, and vanilla until smooth.
- Spread the glaze over the rolls while they're still warm, so it melts slightly into every swirl.
Best eaten the same day, glaze still soft, chocolate still a little melty. If you have extras, a short stint in a low oven brings them back close to fresh.
↑ Back to topStarter sitting in the fridge? It's good for a lot more than loaves.
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