Pull-Apart Chocolate Chrysanthemum Bread

Step 1

For the dough: stir the yeast and 1 teaspoon honey into 1 cup warm water (100 to 110 degrees F). Let sit until bubbly, about 5 minutes. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the eggs and yolks, olive oil, salt, remaining 1/4 cup honey and the yeast mixture. Mix on low until combined. Add 4 cups flour on low speed, 1 cup at a time, and mix to form a smooth, wet dough. Switch to the dough hook and knead on medium-high, adding up to 1/2 cup more flour to make a slightly sticky dough that forms a ball around the hook, 4 to 5 minutes. Form the dough into a ball, place in a large bowl and lightly coat in olive oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Step 2

For the filling: Meanwhile, stir together the chocolate, butter, pecans, sugar, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl to make a chunky paste.

Step 3

Butter a 10-inch round cake pan and set aside. When the dough has risen, punch it down and roll with a lightly floured rolling pin on a well-floured work surface into a 24-by-16-inch rectangle (about 1/4-inch thick). Use a 3 1/2-inch round cutter to cut out as many circles as you can from the dough. Fill each circle to the edge with about 1 tablespoon filling and fold in half, then in half again, so it looks like a quarter of a circle. Pinch the tip of the dough so that the rounded edge opens slightly. Arrange pieces, pinched-side down, in a circle around the edge of the pan with some space between the pieces and the chocolate filling showing at the top. Arrange 2 more circles in the pan, ending with one piece in the center. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until almost doubled, about 30 minutes.

Step 4

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Brush the risen dough with beaten egg and bake until golden and the center of the bread registers about 180 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer (avoid touching the pan), 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove and serve warm.