Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Dough
- 240 ml whole milk, warmed to 38C
- 7 g active dry yeast
- 20 g honey
- 450 g all-purpose flour
- 5 g fine sea salt
- 50 g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 egg, room temperature
Filling
- 30 g unsalted butter, very soft, room temperature
- 150 g blue cheese, crumbled
Coating & Glaze
- 100 g pistachios, shelled and roughly chopped
- 1 egg
- 15 ml whole milk
- 40 g honey, warmed slightly
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 316 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbohydrates
- 37 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 327 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 7 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 53 mg
- Potassium
- 205 mg
- Calcium
- 111 mg
- Iron
- 1.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 25 mg
- Phosphorus
- 168 mg
- Zinc
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 94 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.20 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.17 mg
- Niacin
- 1.0 mg
- Folate
- 37 mcg
- Water
- 36 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a mixing bowl, combine the warm milk at 38°C/100°F with the yeast and 20g of honey. Stir gently and let sit for 5 minutes until frothy.
Add the all-purpose flour, fine sea salt, melted butter, and one egg to the yeast mixture. Mix until a shaggy dough begins to form.
Transfer the dough to a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, or turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and clears the sides of the bowl.
Form the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
While the dough rises, roughly chop the shelled pistachios and crumble the blue cheese into small, even pieces.
Punch down the proofed dough to release the air. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into a 30x40cm rectangle.
Spread the 30g of softened butter evenly over the rolled dough, leaving a 2cm border at the top edge. Sprinkle the crumbled blue cheese evenly over the butter. Starting from the long edge closest to you, roll the dough tightly into a log. Cut the log into 12 equal slices and place them into a greased 33x23cm baking dish.
Cover the baking dish loosely and let the rolls proof for another 45 minutes until they are puffed and touching each other.
Preheat your oven to 190°C/375°F.
Whisk the remaining egg with 15ml of milk. Uncover the proofed rolls, brush them generously with the egg wash, and sprinkle the chopped pistachios evenly over the top so they adhere to the dough.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. The rolls should be deep golden brown and the internal temperature of the dough should reach 90°C/190°F.
Remove the rolls from the oven. Immediately brush the hot rolls with the remaining 40g of warmed honey, allowing it to soak into the crevices and coat the pistachios.
Let the rolls cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the melted cheese and honey to set slightly.
Chef's Notes
- Using a sharp serrated knife or unflavored dental floss to cut the dough log prevents the layers from squishing together, resulting in perfectly round spirals.
- For the best flavor contrast, use a robust, salty blue cheese like Roquefort. Its high moisture content melts beautifully into the dough, while the salt balances the sweetness of the honey.
- The egg wash is crucial not just for browning, but acting as the glue that holds the generous pistachio crust in place during the oven spring.
- Brushing the honey on while the rolls are still steaming hot lowers the viscosity of the honey, allowing it to seep into the bread layers rather than just sitting on top.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight container to prevent the dough from drying out.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze baked rolls tightly wrapped. Thaw at room temperature and reheat.
Reheating: Warm in a 150C oven for 5-8 minutes until heated through.
Troubleshooting
Dough did not rise during the first proof
Cause: The milk was either too hot and killed the yeast, or too cold to activate it. Alternatively, the yeast was expired.
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Always use a thermometer to check that liquid is between 35-40C before adding yeast. Check yeast expiration dates.
Blue cheese leaked completely out of the rolls and burned on the bottom
Cause: The roll log was not rolled tightly enough, or the oven temperature was too low, causing the cheese to melt out before the dough could set.
Fix: Use a spatula to scoop the leaked melted cheese back over the rolls immediately upon removing from the oven.
Prevention: Roll the dough tightly and ensure the oven is fully preheated before baking.
Pistachios burned during baking
Cause: The nuts were exposed to direct high heat for too long without moisture protection.
Fix: Pick off the most heavily burnt pieces and mask with a slightly heavier honey glaze.
Prevention: Keep an eye on the rolls during the last 10 minutes of baking and cover with foil if they are darkening too rapidly.
Cultural Context
The pairing of blue cheese, honey, and nuts is a classic French culinary trinity frequently found on cheese boards across Europe. By capturing these elements within a soft, enriched yeast dough, this dish transforms a traditional after-dinner cheese course into a comforting, pull-apart bread perfect for winter gatherings.
