These Beautiful Buns are "Perfect"

And we know they're perfect because they come from a "perfectly golden" cookbook. In fact that's the title of Goldenrod Bakery Owner Angela Garbacz stopped by Tonia's Kitchen  to talk about her scrumptious Bittersweet Chocolate Buns recipe. These beautiful buns combine the dynamic duo of cocoa powder and brown sugar for a wonderful concoction that you'll rave about! Angela's bakery is located in Lincoln, Nebraska. If you're in the neighborhood, make sure you stop by and say hi. Oh...and don't forget to tell Angela Tonia sent you!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 recipe Goldenrod’s Favorite Bun Dough of your choice, plus appropriate flour for dusting
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick, 55 g) unsalted butter or 1/4 cup (48 g) vegetable shortening
• 3/4 cup (66 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup (59 g) light brown sugar
• 1 recipe Chocolate Oven Ganache

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Roll out your choice of dough to a 10-by-20-inch rectangle, keeping the rolling surface lightly floured and moving the dough a little after each roll. You don’t want it to stick, and the best way to make sure it isn’t sticking is to keep checking. Use more flour as needed.
3. If you're using the egg-free bun dough, spread your choice of fat over the surface of the dough with a rubber spatula. If you are using the rich bun dough, melt the fat first and brush it on the surface of the dough with a pastry brush. Evenly spread the cocoa powder and brown sugar across the surface of the dough, making sure to reach every edge and corner. Roll up the dough, starting from a long end and moving up. Make sure it is a tight swirl. Using a sharp chef’s knife and working down the length of the roll, cut into 12 1½-inch buns.
4. Arrange the buns in the prepared pans, about 2 inches apart. We always tuck the tails at Goldenrod. The “tail” is the end of each bun—grab it and fold it under the roll. This gives each person a really special bit at the bottom of each bun. See the photos on pages 54–57 for a demonstration of this technique.
5. Let rise in a warm place until the dough is very fluffy to the touch and your finger leaves a slight indentation when you gently poke the edge, about 25 minutes. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the buns are perfectly golden brown all over and the centers of each roll do not give back at all when you press them lightly.
6. Remove from the oven and let cool at room temperature. Scoop the Chocolate Oven Ganache over each bun once the buns have cooled—we use a #20 scoop, about 3¼ tablespoons (see page 23). These are absolutely best served immediately, but they will keep well for up to 24 hours.