Step-By-Step Instruction

1. Sweet Stiff Starter (Prepare one night in advance)
1. Dilute starter with water, stir in sugar and mix in bread flour to become a dough.  Please use stand mixer with paddle attachment to mix if you find hard to mix with hand.
2. Cover and let it ferment until tripled. I prepared a night before and left it in aircond room (about 24C - 25C room temperature) overnight until tripled.  It took about 8 - 9 hours depending on your starter.  It should take around 4 - 6 hours to get triple at room temperature 28C - 30C. The starter should look smooth and round dome.  It shouldn't collapse.
2. Main Dough:
1. Put all ingredients (except butter), including all the stiff starter into a bowl of stand mixer.  I usually like to loosen the stiff starter dough by tearing slightly.
2. Slightly combine the mixture by hand with the paddle attachment before turning on the machine so that the flour will not splash out.  Using the paddle attachment, mix for about a minute or until all incorporated. This step is critical to prevent  an uneven mixed dough as the stiff starter is rather hard and a dough hook may not be able to mix it well enough.
3. Change to hook attachment and knead for another 3 minutes at low speed #2 (KA) or until the dough comes together.  Add in butter and continue knead for 10 - 12 minutes at low speed #2 or until the dough become smooth and shiny, and  reach window pane stage.  The whole kneading process, I stopped few times to scrape down the dough from the hook to be sure it is evenly kneaded and also to prevent the motor from overheating.
3. 1st Proofing/Resting:  
1. In the same bowl, let the dough rest for 30 - 60 minutes. Keep it covered with cling film or use a lid.  This dough I rested for 45 minutes and the dough rose slightly in 45 minutes.  (I did not find any big differences between 30 minutes to 60 minutes rest.  So, please follow your schedule).
4. Filling:
1. Add all the filling ingredients (except almond meal) in  a heat proof bowl.  Place on a saucepan with simmering water, stir until butter, chocolate and sugar melts.
2. Stir in the almond meal and leave a side to cool.  
5. Shaping:
1. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface then divide dough into 9 equal portions (approx. 83g each for mine). Please use a kitchen scale if you want to be exact.  
2. Form each portion to a ball.  Rest for 15 minutes.
3. Please watch the video "How To Shape Twisted Buns"
4. Place bun into the prepared round ring.
6. Final Proofing:
1. Let the buns proof at a warm place until the dough rise double in size and almost reach the rim of the ring.   This one took approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes at room temperature of 29C - 30C (my kitchen temperature).  The duration of proofing depends on your ambient temperature and starter.
7. Baking:
1. Preheat oven at 190C (top & bottom heat) or 170C (fan-forced) for 15 minutes.
2. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle some almond flakes on top.
3. Bake in a preheated oven for about 18 - 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
4. Remove bread from oven and let them cool on rack.  
5. Sprinkle some icing sugar on top (optional)

Sweet Stiff Starter

Chocolate Filling

Main Dough