Recipe for Chocolate Banana Buns from Chef Chuck Hughes

Chef Chuck Hughes shared with us this Chocolate Banana Buns recipe from his new cookbook, Chuck’s Home Cooking. They’re decadent, chewy, sweet, and a little salty. Enjoy!

Chocolate Banana Buns

Makes 12 buns

Ingredients:

Filling

• ½ cup salted butter, softened 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup finely chopped semisweet dark chocolate
• 6 ripe bananas, sliced into rounds

Buns

• 1½ cups whole milk, warm
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 4½ teaspoons instant yeast 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
• ½ cup salted butter, melted 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

Cream Cheese Icing (optional)

• 8 ounces (225 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 6 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1½ cups icing sugar

Directions:

1. Make the filling: In a medium bowl using a hand-held electric mixer, or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and granulated sugar. Add the cocoa powder and chocolate. Mix well until combined and smooth.
2. Make the buns: In a large bowl, stir together the warm milk, granulated sugar, and yeast.
   Add the whole eggs, egg yolks, and melted butter and mix well. Sprinkle in the flour and salt and stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough starts to form. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Using your hands, knead the dough for about 10 minutes, until smooth.
3. Place the dough in a well-oiled large bowl, turning it to coat with oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough rest on the counter until doubled in size, 1 to 1½ hours.
4. Butter a 13 × 9-inch baking dish. Once the dough has doubled in size, transfer it to a floured work surface and roll it out into a 21 × 14-inch rectangle. Orient the dough with a long side facing you. Spread the filling over the dough, leaving a ¼-inch exposed border at the top edge. Arrange the sliced bananas evenly over the filling, then tightly roll the dough up into a log, pinching the exposed border at the top to seal the log. With the log seam side down, use a sharp knife to cut it into 12 equal pieces.
5. Place the buns cut side up in the prepared baking dish. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let sit on the counter until almost doubled in size, 30 to 45 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
7. Remove the towel and bake the buns until golden brown around the edges, 25 to 30 minutes. Let the buns cool in the baking dish for 10 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, make the cream cheese icing, if using: In a large bowl using a hand-held electric mixer, or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add half the icing sugar and mix on low speed until combined. Add the remaining icing sugar and beat until smooth.
9. Spread the cream cheese icing (if using) over the chocolate banana buns and serve. Store the buns in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days.