Yeasted Meringue Coffee cake filled with Chocolate and Pistachio

Daring bakers challenge time.. It’s time to roll up your sleeves and put your hands wrist deep in some smooth, silky dough and create something oh-so sweet!
This month’s challenge is hosted by Ria and Jamie.The two lovely ladies have challenged The Daring Bakers to bake a yeasted Meringue Coffee Cake.
The cake is light and fluffy, barely sweet; the meringue miraculously melts into the dough as it bakes leaving behind just a hint of sweetness.
The nuttiness from pistachios and the slight bitterness from dark chocolate make the cake a perfect accompaniment for a hot coffee.

Ingredients
For the yeast coffee cake dough:
2 cups (300gms.) flour
2tbspn Sugar
Pinch of salt
1 ¼ tspn Active dried yeast
¼ Cup Whole Milk
2 tbspn water
¼ Cup butter
1 whole egg

For the meringue:
2 large egg whites at room temperature ¼ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon vanilla 2 tbspn sugar

For the filling:
1/4 cup chopped Pistachios, 1/4 Cup Dark chocolate Chips, 1 Tablespoons granulated sugar,1/2 tspn Cinnamon powder

Prepare the dough:
In a large mixing bowl mix 100gms of the flour, the sugar, salt and yeast.
In a saucepan, combine the milk, water and butter and heat over medium heat until warm and the butter is just melted.
With an electric mixer on low speed, gradually add the warm liquid to the flour/yeast mixture, beating until well blended. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes. Add the egg and 100gms flour and beat for 2 more minutes.
Using a wooden spoon, stir in the remaining 100 gms flour to make a dough that holds together. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough is soft, smooth, sexy and elastic, keeping the work surface floured and adding extra flour as needed.
Place the dough in a lightly greased . Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let rise until double in bulk, 45 – 60 minutes. The rising time will depend on the type of yeast you use.

Once the dough has doubled, make the meringue: In a clean mixing bowl – ideally a plastic– beat the egg whites with the salt, first on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high and continue beating until foamy and opaque. Add the vanilla then start adding the sugar, a tablespoon at a time as you beat, until very stiff, glossy peaks form.

Assemble the Coffee Cakes:
Line a cookies pan with parchment paper.
Punch down the dough .On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 20 x 10-inch (about 51 x 25 ½ cm) rectangle. Spread the meringue evenly over the rectangle up to about 1/2-inch (3/4 cm) from the edges. Sprinkle the filling of choice evenly over the meringue
Now, roll up the dough jellyroll style, from the long side. Pinch the seam closed to seal. Very carefully transfer the filled log to one of the lined cookie sheet, seam side down. Bring the ends of the log around and seal the ends together, forming a ring, tucking one end into the other and pinching to seal.
Using kitchen scissors or a sharp knife (although scissors are easier), make cuts along the outside edge at 1-inch (2 ½ cm) intervals. Make them as shallow or as deep as desired but don’t be afraid to cut deep into the ring.
Cover the coffee cake with plastic wrap and allow them to rise again for 45 to 60 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Brush the tops of the coffee cake with the milk. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until risen and golden brown. The dough should sound hollow when tapped.

Remove from the oven and slide the parchment paper off the cookie sheets onto the table. Very gently loosen the coffee cake from the paper with a large spatula and carefully slide the cakes off onto cooling racks. Allow to cool.