The bits of bittersweet chocolate scattered throughout accentuate the sweetness and soft crumb of our Chocolate Bread. You can serve chocolate bread a number of ways: with a sharp white cheddar; toasted, with a spread of Nutella; or as French toast, with strawberries and whipped cream.
BREAD RECIPE HELP
INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour; SARAH SAYS: Spoon into measuring cup and level to rim
1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, such as Valhrona; SARAH SAYS: Can use Natural cocoa powder, instead
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
1 teaspoon fine sea salt; SARAH SAYS: can use regular salt, instead
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips; SARAH SAYS: can use semisweet chocolate chips, instead
2 tablespoons heavy cream
NOTE: SARAH SAYS – you will also need 4 tablespoons turbinado sugar for the recipe
INSTRUCTIONS
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, cocoa, granulated sugar, and yeast and mix on low speed. Add 1 cup water and mix for 3 minutes. Let the dough rest in the mixer bowl for 20 minutes.
After it has rested, add the cubed butter and salt to the dough and mix on medium speed until the dough comes together and the sides of the bowl are clean, about 5 minutes. The dough mix will develop a satiny sheen. Turn the speed to low, add the bittersweet chocolate chips, and mix until incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and shape it gently into a round loaf. Put the dough seam side down in a bowl that has been lightly coated with vegetable oil spray. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place for 2 hours, or until it doubles in size.
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of turbinado sugar over the bottom of a 10-by-5-inch loaf pan. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently form it into an 8-by-6-inch rectangle. With a long side facing you, gently roll the dough up into a log. Place seam side down in the pan. Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and let the dough rise again until doubled, about 1½ hours.
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. When the dough has risen, gently brush it with the heavy cream. Sprinkle the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until the sugar on top is caramelized. Let the loaf cool for 30 minutes, then remove it from the pan and let cool completely on a wire rack.
STORAGE
Wrapped in plastic wrap, the bread will keep at room temperature for up to 8 days.
Excerpted with permission from The Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook by Cheryl Day & Griffith Day (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2012. Photographs by Squire Fox.
