Brioche Brownie Rolls

Light and fluffy milk bread brioche filled with fudge brownie batter and topped with an espresso vanilla whipped cream.

Add the flour and milk to a microwave safe bowl and whisk them together. Microwave for 30 seconds, then stir and microwave for another 30 seconds. The mixture should now be a thick slurry, but if it’s not, microwave it in 10 second intervals until it has thickened.

Add the milk, sugar, yeast, egg, flour, salt, butter, and tangzhong to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment.
Knead the mixture on medium speed for ~15-20 minutes. The dough is ready when it is no longer sticking to the sides or the bottom of the bowl, and passes the windowpane test.*
Once the dough is done kneading, shape it into a ball and place it back into the mixing bowl. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm area to rise until doubled in size (~1 hr.)**
In the meantime, make the fudge brownie filling.

In a medium-sized microwave-safe mixing bowl, melt together the butter and chocolate chips in 30 second intervals, stirring in between each interval, until the mixture is completely melted and smooth.
Immediately mix in the cocoa powder. Then, add in the egg and sugar and whisk vigorously for 1 minute.
Add in the flour and salt, then gently fold the mixture together just until no flour streaks remain.
Cover the brownie batter and place it in the fridge until you're ready to assemble the rolls.

Once the dough has finished rising, lightly punch it down to remove any excess air in it. Transfer the dough to a clean and lightly floured surface, then roll it out to a 12″ x 16″ (30 x 40 cm) rectangle. If the dough keeps springing back a lot while rolling it out, let it rest for 5 minutes before continuing.
Carefully spread the brownie batter over the dough into an even layer. From the longer side, roll up the dough into a tight long. Use a sharp knife or floss to cut the dough into 6 even pieces.
Transfer the rolls to a lightly buttered and/or lined eighth sheet pan*** Lightly cover the pan with a towel, and let the rolls rise in a warm environment until doubled in size (~30 minutes).
Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Make an egg wash by whisking together an egg with 1 tbsp. milk, then brush it over the rolls.
Bake for ~25-30 minutes, until the tops of the rolls are golden brown and the internal temperature of the rolls has reached 200°F / 93°C.

Add the heavy whipping cream, sugar, espresso powder, and vanilla bean paste to a medium sized mixing bowl. Beat (by hand, or with a hand/stand mixer) until the mixture reaches soft peaks.
Once the rolls have slightly cooled, top them with the espresso vanilla whipped cream and enjoy!