Danish Chocolate Streusel-Swirled Coffee Cake

I am in love with yeast baking since I discovered the artisan bread in 5 minutes a day book/website.  I have, magically, had no disasters since I started on their recipes.

The challenge to make an Apple - Walnut Torte did not interest me at all , Jasline changed my mind with her elegant mini-muffin torte, despite this being  prime apple season here,  I leaped at the chance to bake the latest THB Challenge, Lou Seibert Pappas's Danish Chocolate Swirled Coffee Cake

I made half the recipe, enough for just 1 loaf.  But, I made enough streusel for 2 loaves, and found that I needed this amount for just 1 loaf!
Typically, I changed the recipe quite a bit, making it lighter and healthier. I suppose making twice the required filling negates all the effort :(
I substitute whole wheat for part of the all-purpose flour, never replace it completely.  I am not clear on whether yeast can rise in pure whole wheat.  Indian wheat tends to be soft, it might just work.  Waiting to try
We don't like cinnamon in dessert, I used vanilla paste in the streusel.
I was uncomfortable applying egg wash on the exposed streusel part of the cake,the cocoa mix was a tad loose,  so the nuts didn't stick on properly.

I am only giving my changes to the recipe.

1. 2 tspoon fresh active yeast
2. 1/8 cup warm water - feel, like you would for a baby's meal.
3. Pinch of sugar, plus 4 tspoon 
4. 50g  unsalted butter at room temperature
5. 1/2 tspoon ground cardamom
6. 1 egg + 1 yolk 
7. 1 cup maida (APF)
8. 1.5 to 2 cups atta divided (whole wheat)
9. 1/4 cup milk at room temperature  (many THBs complained of a wet dough, so reduced)

Chocolate Streusel: 

1.  2/3 cup granulated sugar
2. 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
3. 30 g cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
4. 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
5. 1 teaspoon vanilla paste/powder

Topping 

1. 1 egg white, left over from making the dough
2. 1/4 cup chironji

Directions

Add sugar and yeast to the warm water in a bowl and let stand.

butter cold, so sliced it to smaller pieces for mixing

Then add the 6 tablespoons sugar, the butter and cardamom  and beat together with hand held electric mixer until light and fluffy.

Add the egg+yolk and beat well.

Add the maida and sugar and beat until smooth.

Then slowly add the whole wheat flour and beat well until the mix becomes too dense for the electric mixer to handle.

ready to rise

Now add flour and knead with hand until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.

Place dough in a buttered bowl, cover with towel and let rise until doubled in volume, about 1 hr.

For the chocolate streusel mix the sugar, flour, butter, cocoa, and vanilla together. Cut the butter in with finger tips until a crumbly mixture is formed.

Dust the counter with flour.  Punch down the dough and roll into a 10-by-14-inch rectangle. 

Spread evenly with chocolate streusel. 

Roll up and place, seam side down, on a buttered baking sheet. 

Direct quote from the book:  

"Snip loaf at ¾-inch intervals, cutting three-fourths of the way through the dough. Starting at one end, pull and twist each cut slice on its side to lie flat on alternate sides. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes."

I didn't quite understand, but made a decent cake anyways.

sliced according to instructions i couldn't quite understand.

Preheat the oven to 190°F. Brush the loaves with the egg white and sprinkle with the nuts. Place in the oven, reduce the heat to 160°F, and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. 

The Cake finally!  I might keep it for a couple of minutes more next time, 

Everyone loved it.  I might have to make it on a regular basis...
This is for THB #10, hosted by Anuja of Simply Baking.