For the brioche dough
1. In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients except the salt.
2. Add salt and mix until dough comes together, 2-3 minutes.
3. Transfer dough to floured surface and knead for 5-10min.
4. Place the ball-shaped dough into a bowl, cover with kitchen towel and let rise for 2-3 hours until it has roughly doubled in size.
5. Grease a 30x10cm loaf pans with ghee and line the bottom and sides of each pan with parchment paper for easy release later on. Set aside.
For the chocolate filling
1. In a medium saucepan place chocolate, butter, heavy cream, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt, and bring just to a boil over moderate heat.
2. Reduce heat to low and mix until melted and completely smooth.
3. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool. It will thicken and become spreadable as it cools. You can place it in the fridge for a short while until you get a spreadable consistency.
Rolling and Baking
1. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface and shape into a rectangle. Position the dough so that a long side is closest to you. Using an offset spatula, spread the chocolate mixture over the rectangle.
2. Use both hands to roll up the rectangle like a roulade, starting from the long side closest to you and ending at the other long end. Press to seal the dampened end onto the roulade, then use both hands to even out the roll into a perfect thick cigar. Rest the cigar on its seam.
3. Using a serrated knife, gently cut the roll in half lengthwise, starting at the top and finishing at the seam, essentially dividing the log into two long even halves, with the layers of dough and filling visible along the length of both halves. With the cut sides facing up, gently press together one end of each half, then lift the right half over the left half. Gently squeeze together the other ends so that you are left with the two halves, intertwined, showing the filling on top.
4. Carefully lift the cake into a loaf pan.
5. Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and leave to rise at room temperature for 1 to 1½ hours until almost doubled in size.
6. Preheat oven to 175°C. Remove plastic wrap, and place cakes on middle rack of oven. Bake 30-35 minutes, until golden brown on top.
Make the syrup
1. While the cake is in the oven, make the syrup.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring water and sugar to a boil. As soon as the sugar dissolves, remove from heat and set aside to cool.
3. As soon as the cakes come out of the oven, brush the syrup over them. Use all of the syrup, even if it looks a lot.
4. Let cakes cool until they are warm, then remove from pans and let cool completely before serving.
5. Serve warm or at room temperature.
