Ok so this is my first full week back at school and let me tell you, it is not for the faint of heart. I feel all out of routine, which is not great for me, a person who loves routine. Without routine I can’t be productive, but when I’m suddenly thrown back into a very strict and tight schedule, it’s quite the change.
But at least it’s not as busy as it was before winter break. Right now, stuff is moving a little slower and I feel like I have some time to relax. But at the same time, I’m dreading spring because that is the number one most stressful time of year.
But on the bright side, we got a decent amount of snow! I got to go sledding, and embraced the snow days as a chance to catch up on some work as well as enjoy the coziness. Now the snow is starting to melt, which is always a little sad, but it stuck around for a good chunk of time so I’m not too heartbroken.
Alright, let’s get into this post. I am aware that I just posted a black sesame recipe for New Years. Usually, posting the same flavors so close to each other would be fine, but I feel like it’s less fine because it’s a pretty unique flavor. But if it’s a good recipe, what’s the point of waiting to post it? So there’s my justification nobody asked for.
Describe these Rolls to Me
Taste: The dough itself isn’t super sweet, but rather buttery with hints of coffee to really bring out the warmer notes in the black sesame. The filling gives these rolls their flavor with sweet and nutty black sesame seeds and brown sugar. The rolls are topped with a simple but yet so delicious espresso glaze, to tie all of our flavors together.
Texture: These rolls have the softest, melt in your mouth texture. The dough is a brioche which means it’s super tender, and the filling really just melts into it.
Ease: In terms of difficulty, these are roughly as simple as your classic cinnamon roll. The filling and glaze are a tiny bit more complex, but not difficult to throw together. Nothing too challenging, just keep in mind rising time.
The Dough
I used the same base dough I use for all of my sweet rolls. It’s a brioche which means it’s super soft and fluffy, with a rich buttery flavor. It’s a little stickier then some bread doughs, but that’s what makes it brioche. The higher butter and egg content gives you that rich and fluffy dough, with hints of espresso powder and honey for a subtle flavor.
The Filling
The filling starts off by pulsing together black sesame seeds and granulated sugar in a food processor. We mix that with some butter, brown sugar, and vanilla and spread it on the rolled out dough. This filling melts a little into the dough, but also caramelizes some to give you a really deep and nutty flavor.
Glaze
This is definitely one of my favorite glazes to date. It starts off with some salted brown butter, which really ties together the nuttiness in the black sesame seeds. Then we add some maple syrup and espresso powder. The maple syrup gives it this almost caramel like flavor, and the espresso powder pairs perfectly with the sesame. Finally we add some confectioners sugar to thicken it up, and a little heavy cream. This glaze is on the thinner side, but that just means it can seep into the rolls, making them extra delicious when served warm.
Black Sesame Espresso Sweet Rolls
Ingredients
Method
- In large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, espresso powder, yeast, and salt. Add the warm milk, honey, melted butter, and eggs and use a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon to combine. The dough should be sticky.
- Turn the dough out onto a heavily floured work surface and knead gently for around 2 minutes. This should help bring it together, but it may still be a little sticky. Place the dough in a large greased bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Place in a humid environment to rise for 2 hours, or on the counter is fine.
- In the last 20 minutes or so of rising, make the filling. In a food processor, pulse the black sesame seeds and granulated sugar together until the seeds are broken up and you have a grey sugar.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, mix together the sesame sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, espresso powder, and vanilla extract until you have a spreadable paste. Let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes to firm up.
- Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan with butter and set aside.
- On a floured work surface, roll the risen dough into a 10×16 inch rectangle. Spread the black sesame filling in an even layer on top. Slowly and carefully, roll the dough into a 16 inch log. Slice the log into 12 rolls. Arrange the rolls in the previously prepared baking pan. Cover with a clean kitchen towel or cling wrap and let the rolls rise for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375℉. Bake the rolls uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned and hollow sounding when you tap on them. While the rolls cool a little, make the glaze.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, keep cooking until the butter begins to sizzle and foam, and eventually brown. Once browned, remove from the heat and immediately stir in the maple syrup and espresso powder. The syrup will likely splash, so be careful! Stir in the confectioners sugar using a whisk. It might not combine completely yet, that's ok! Finally, whisk in the heavy cream and the glaze should come together. It will be a thin, pourable consistency.
- Drizzle the glaze over the warm rolls and serve immediately. Rolls stay fresh sealed at room temperature for up to 4 days.