Minka’s Chocolate Rolls Inspired by The Storyteller
What’s better than a good book? Eating warm, gooey chocolate rolls while you read The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult. This story uses baking as a way to connect two stories through time. Let the sweet aroma and pillowy dough transport you to Minka’s youth or connect you with Sage’s passion.
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The Storyteller
I have always been an avid reader, so it’s no surprise that I discovered Jodi Picoult’s novels when I was in high school. She always manages to present the reader with an ethical conundrum that has no easy “right” answer. Be warned, Picoult here will rip your heart out, then right before you think she’s done, there’s one last twist.
In The Storyteller, we get to know Sage, a baker who would much rather be elbow deep in dough than spend time with anyone else. Yet she manages to befriend an elderly man with a dark past. At the same time, we learn about Minka’s history as a Holocaust survivor.
Chocolate Rolls
It’s beautiful, and heartbreaking. A great read if there ever was one! These chocolate cinnamon rolls are inspired by Minka’s father’s recipe. Jodi Picoult has published that recipe, but I made my own tweaks.
I’m using the same dough as my Jumbo Cinnamon Rolls because it is just a dream to work with. For the filling, I used Picoult’s filling, except I added even more chocolate because that is always a good idea.
Top Tips for Yeast Bread
- Make sure your liquid is between 100℉- 115℉ before you add your yeast.
- Knead the dough until it passes the window pane test. You should be able to gently stretch a small bit of dough until you can see light through it.
- Is your house cold? Preheat your oven to its lowest setting while you prep the dough, then turn it off. Let your dough rise (covered) in the warm oven.
Baking In A Muffin Pan
Normally, I would bake cinnamon rolls on a baking sheet or even in a 9×13 baking dish. But for Minka’s chocolate rolls, we’re using a muffin pan. This gives you a more compact shape, so I kinda dig it.
The larger rolls tend to explode upwards. They look beautiful, but keep in mind, the bottoms will be a bit empty. No biggie in my book! This pan gives you the shape that Minka describes in The Storyteller.
Related Reading: Kolache: A Slovakian Walnut Roll
Chocolate Cinnamon Roll Filling
We’re basically making a chocolatey, cinnamony powder to add to our rolled dough. Give your chocolate a good chop, then add it to the mini food processor. You want the mixture to come together quickly. If you run the processor too long, the chocolate will start to melt and get all mucky.
You could probably use chocolate chips instead of baking chocolate bars, but I find that the bars give you the best texture and flavor. It really shouldn’t make a huge difference in this recipe though.
Watch & Learn
I know it can help to just watch and see how it all comes together. So I made you a video! If you love it, go ahead and subscribe so you can see more of my videos. I try to put out a new one every other week.
A few notes… You can push your filling all the way to the sides, but leave that gap on the back side of the dough before you roll it up. And I highly recommend using unflavored dental floss to cut up your log! It makes the process soooo quick and easy.
But Where’s The Glaze?
I know, I know. You hear chocolate cinnamon roll and naturally assume there is some sort of glaze in the recipe. Well, there’s not. Minka’s rolls in the book do not mention a glaze, nor does Picoult’s recipe. Honestly, they were 100% perfect without a sticky topping.
If you really want one, use the sugar glaze from my Jumbo Cinnamon Rolls. Maybe throw some cocoa powder in there for a chocolate drizzle. Or whisk up some cream cheese and powdered sugar.
Related Reading: Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
Bakes & Books
If you also love baking and reading, you should check out this round up of books and inspired recipes. In the future, I’m sure I’ll throw together another one and you can bet that these chocolate rolls will make the cut!
Enjoy!
I hope you get to enjoy these yummy chocolate rolls with a cup of tea and The Storyteller. Trust me, you’re going to want the soft, gooey, sweet rolls to help you through this heartfelt, heartbreaking story.
Let me know what you think of the book and these rolls in a comment down below! If you are totally vibing with my baking/ writing style, you should consider subscribing to the Bakes & Blunders email list. You’ll never miss a recipe, plus you’ll get access to over a dozen freebies in my Resource Library!
Chocolate Rolls
Ingredients
Enriched Yeast Dough
- 6 fl oz milk
- 1 pkt instant yeast
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 8 oz all- purpose flour
- 8 oz bread flour
- 2.5 oz sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 5 oz unsalted butter softened
Chocolate Cinnamon Filling
- 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chopped
- 2 oz sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 3 Tbsps unsalted butter melted
Instructions
Enriched Yeast Dough
- Scald the milk in a small saucepan. As soon as small bubbles appear around the edge of the pan, pour the milk into the bowl of a stand mixer and cool to 110°- 115°F. Then add the yeast, egg, yolk, and vanilla to the bowl. Now add the flours, sugar, salt, and soft butter. Make sure the salt does not come into direct contact with the yeast.
- With a dough hook, mix on low until the ingredients have combined, about 2- 3 minutes. Bump the speed up to medium and knead for about 5- 8 minutes. Finish kneading the dough by hand. The dough should be smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough into a clean bowl (wipe out the stand mixer bowl and it'll do just fine) and cover with cling wrap. Set in a warm, draft free location and let rise until the dough has doubled in size, about 1- 2 hours.
Chocolate Cinnamon Filling
- Place the chopped chocolate, sugar, and cinnamon in a small food processor. Pulse until the chocolate is fine with just a few larger chunks. Set aside.
Assembling the Rolls
- Grease a 12 cavity muffin pan and set aside.
- Roll the fermented dough out to a large rectangle, roughly 12x20 inches. Brush the melted butter over the dough. Spread the filling evenly over the dough. Leave a space at the far long side of the rectangle so that you can seal the roll, but you can go right up to the other edges.
- Starting with the long side closest to you, roll the dough and filling up into a log. If you make your roll too tight, the filling will squeeze out. If the roll is too loose, the spiral will have gaps. Pinch the end of the dough to the roll to seal and place the log seam side down.
- Slice the log into 12 equal rolls, about an inch and a half to 2 inches wide, and place them cut side up in the muffin pan.
- Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rise. They will not double in size, more like a 70% increase. This will take about 30 minutes to an hour.
- About 30 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 23- 25 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
Notes
- These taste great slightly warm. Place one in the microwave for about 10- 15 seconds to get the chocolate all melty again.
My Favorite Products For This Recipe
Colleen
Hi there! I’m Colleen, a novice baker with a passion for learning and improving my bakes… and blunders. On Bakes and Blunders, you can find all sorts of tasty recipes that range in difficulty, but most importantly, I’ll try to explain the reason behind important steps. If you know why a recipe works, you can tweak and adapt it to suit your unique tastes, and you’ll be able to reliably produce some very delicious treats. If you love baking and want to expand and grow your skills, or if you are a casual baker and just need some pointers, my blog is right up your alley! Join me on my baking journey and we’ll learn how to make more impressive recipes together.
