【Maple Syrup Walnut Toast】A recipe that's very similar to the chocolate donuts I remember from childhood.

Pour the chocolate, butter, maple syrup, and milk into a pot and melt over low heat.

Cook until it becomes slightly thick, then add almond powder and stir well.

After cooling to room temperature, refrigerate for 1 hour.

The chilled maple ganache will be a little hard, so take it out about ten minutes before spreading it on the filling to soften it slightly.

Place all the starter dough ingredients except for the butter and salt into the stand mixer.

[Keep the dough and mixing bowl temperature between 24-26℃] Mix on low speed until there is no dry flour.

[Keep the dough and mixing bowl temperature between 24-26℃] Quickly mix until a rough membrane and 80% gluten development are achieved.

Add salt and butter, and mix well on low speed.

[Keep the dough and mixing bowl temperature between 24-26℃] Mix at high speed until a gluten window is formed.

Let the kneaded dough ferment at 30℃ for 40 minutes, until it has increased to 1.5 times its original size.

After the dough has fermented, let it rest and deflate. Then divide it into two portions, each about 450g, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Roll the chilled dough into a long strip and flip it over.

Spread chilled maple ganache sauce on the flipped side.

Start folding from the shorter side, with each fold being approximately 5 centimeters.

Cut it in half with a knife.

Overlap two dough balls. (No need to stretch them as shown in the photo; they will stretch naturally after you finish braiding.)

Braid the hair, then pinch both ends off.

Gather the dough and place it in a bread box. Let it proof in the oven for about 1 hour. (Do not fold it in half as shown in the photo, as this will make it look messy. After braiding, simply hold both ends and push them towards the middle. This is why I said earlier that you don't need to stretch it; the longer you stretch it, the harder it will be to gather.)

Ferment until it reaches eight-tenths full.

Sprinkle with chopped walnuts.

To make a maple syrup sauce, simply mix all the ingredients together until there are no lumps.

Put it into a piping bag.

Squeeze maple syrup onto the bread.

Add another layer of chopped walnuts.

Preheat oven to 160°C (top heat) and 190°C (bottom heat), bake for 23-25 ​​minutes.

OK!