Instructions

Day 1
1. Make the stiff starter. Cover and allow to grow for 4-5 hours in a warm spot.

70 g water, 50 g starter, 150 g all-purpose flour, 30 g sugar
2. After 4-5 hours, make the tangzhong by mixing the water, milk, and flour and either microwaving the mixture for 30 seconds at a time and stirring in between each time or doing the whole thing on the stovetop. Allow it to cool for 30 min.

120 ml/ ½ cup water, 120 ml/ ½ cup whole milk, 60 g/ ½ cup all-purpose flour
3. To make the dough, in the bowl of an electric mixer, mix the stiff starter, the tangzhong, and all the rest of the ingredients, EXCEPT the oil. Mix on low speed until just incorporated. Add the oil and continue mixing for 15 minutes.

All the stiff starter, All the tangzhong, 120 ml/ 1/2 cup whole milk, 70 g/ 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tsp salt, 3 eggs, 100 ml/ just shy of ½ cup oil, 600 g/ 5 cups all-purpose flour
4. Oil a bowl and transfer the dough to it. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Day 2
5. Make the chocolate filling by melting the chocolate and butter in 15 seconds intervals in the microwave or over a double broiler. Mix the dry ingredients into them. Set aside. Prepare 2 muffin tins with liners. I prefer using tulip muffin liners for pretty much everything I do in the muffin tins.

150g/ 1 cup melted chocolate (semisweet, milk, or a combo of the two), 113g/ ½ cup melted, unsalted butter, 30 g/ ¼ cup cocoa powder, 100 g/ 2/3 cup powdered sugar
6. Remove the dough from the fridge. It should have doubled in size. Roll it on a floured surface to a 16x24 inch rectangle. Spread the chocolate mixture, the pistachio praline or cream, if using, zest the half orange and sprinkle the chopped or ground pistachios.

¼ cup pistachio praline or cream (optional), ½ cup ground or finely chopped pistachios, Zest from half orange
7. Fold the dough in 3, like a letter. Roll the folded dough gently until you get a 6x24 inch rectangle. Cut 1.5-inch strips of dough. Using a knife, cut each strip in 3 pieces, leaving them connected in the top half-inch. Braid the 3 pieces. Pinch when you get to the end. Start rolling the braided roll from the part where the 3 pieces are still connected. Place in the lined muffin tin. 8. Cover and allow the rolls to proof for another 1.5-2 hours. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
9. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown on top.
10. During the last 15 minutes of the bake, make the syrup by mixing the orange juice, sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down, allowing it to simmer until the rolls are done.

Juice from half an orange, 60 ml/ ¼ cup water, 100 g/ ½ cup sugar
11. Remove the rolls from the oven and allow them to cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack and brush with the hot syrup we just made.
Enjoy with coffee or tea!