No matter how crazy life has been lately, and how poorly I’ve been staying on top of making regular posts, there is nothing that could make me miss out on celebrating World Bread Day. What could be more glorious than a whole event created simply to celebrate all that is baked and doughy? This occasion calls for something special, and I have just the thing…
Chocolate brioche, anyone? Inspired by my initial success with basic brioche some time ago now, I couldn’t help but push the envelope just a little bit further, and delve deeper into this decadent bread that tastes like cake. There’s no mistaking this loaf for a hearty breakfast bread, much in contrast to my most recent offering, but the lure of that voluptuous ribbon of pure chocolate swirled within is almost too much to resist; it may very well end up on the breakfast table all the same!
Even if you don’t drop everything and bake this beauty today, take some time to celebrate your “daily bread.” Happy World Bread Day, everyone!
Chocolate Brioche
If you're craving bread that tastes like cake, this could be the loaf of your life. You get a ribbon of pure chocolate swirled through every tender cocoa-infused slice for double chocolate bliss.
Ingredients
Sponge:
- 1/4 Cup Chocolate Non-Dairy Milk
- 1 (1/4-Ounce) Packet Active Dry Yeast
- 1/2 Cup Bread Flour
- 1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
Dough:
- 3 Cups Bread Flour
- 2/3 Cup Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt
- 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1 Pound Silken Tofu
- 1/4 Cup Vegan Butter, at Room Temperature
Chocolate Swirl:
- 6 Ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate, Chopped
- 2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
Instructions
- To begin the sponge, briefly warm the non-dairy milk for just 30 – 60 seconds in the microwave, and then sprinkle in the yeast. Let the mixture stand for about 5 minutes, and then mix in the sugar and flour. Cover with plastic wrap, and allow the sponge to rest for 30 – 45 minutes until it appears bubbly.
- When the sponge is ready, move it into the bowl of your stand mixer, and add the flour, cocoa, salt, and cinnamon. Mix on low speed with the paddle attachment for a minute, and add in the chocolate silken creations. Continue to stir slowly until the dry goods seem to be mostly incorporated, and then increase to medium speed, beating the dough for 5 minutes.
- Switch to the dough hook attachment, and continue mixing on a low speed. Slowly begin to incorporate the butter, one tablespoon at a time, until no pieces are visible throughout the dough. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and dough hook as needed to make sure that the dough is completely homogeneous.
- Let rest for 10 minutes before turning the dough out onto a well-floured surface. Kneed by hand for approximately 10 minutes, adding flour as needed, until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic, and let rise in a warm place for 2 – 3 hours, until doubled in volume.
- Once risen, punch the dough down, scrape it out of the bowl and onto a lightly floured surface. Press it out gently but firmly with your knuckles into a rectangle, about 15 x 7 inches.
- For the chocolate swirl, place the chocolate and sugar in a food processor, and pulse until you achieve a coarse but fine meal. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the rectangle of dough, leaving an inch of one of the short sides clear. Press the chocolate in lightly, and roll the dough up, ending at the clear strip to seal the roll. Pinch the edge together, and place the loaf, seam-side down, in a lightly greased 8 x 4 inch loaf pan. Place in a warm area, and let rise once more for 45 – 60 minutes.
- As the loaf nears the end of its second rise, preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes, until well-browned and has an internal temperature of 200 degrees.
- Let cool completely before slicing.
Recommended Products
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 410Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 339mgCarbohydrates: 61gFiber: 4gSugar: 21gProtein: 12g
All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.