Chunks of chocolate baked inside a crusty loaf of bread.
A savory, sweet combination that turns a simple loaf of bread into a festive holiday treat!
Rustic Chocolate Swirl Bread
2 cups water, room temperature
2 teaspoons yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
5 cups bread flour (see note below)*
2 teaspoons salt
16 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (chips, chunks, or shaves)
1 tablespoon butter, melted
Biga Method (produces a fuller, more rustic flavor but not as strong as sourdough):
Biga is a sponge. Combine 1-cup room temperature water with 1/2-teaspoon yeast and 2-cups flour; using dough hook on a stand mixer, knead on lowest speed for 2-3 minutes or until a “shaggy” dough forms (or beat by hand with a large spoon for same amount of time). Place biga in a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until it begins to bubble and rise (about 3-4 hours). Refrigerate dough 8-24 hours.
Remove sponge from refrigerator and let stand covered at room temperature 20-30 minutes or longer.
Combine 1-cup room temperature water, remaining yeast and sugar. Beat in 2-cups flour and the salt. Add the biga or sponge and knead with dough hook on stand mixer, low-speed for about 5 minutes – or until dough clears the sides but sticks to the bottom of the bowl (add additional flour as needed). Place dough in a clean bowl lightly sprayed with non-stick spray, cover with plastic wrap sprayed with non-stick spray. Allow to rise until double in bulk (cool kitchen, but not refrigerator) 1-3 hours.
Place dough on a floured surface (flour on hands); flatten into a 10 or 12-inch square. Place chocolate down center of dough, fold dough over chocolate; roll and shape into log; place log, seam side down, on parchment paper then on a flat baking sheet (see note below**). Allow to rise until almost double in bulk (20-60 minutes). Using a sharp knife cut slashes across the loaf the length of the loaf, brush with melted butter.
Crust is crunchier if baked on a stone.** While bread is rising, place baking stone in the middle of the oven; place a 9×13 metal pan on bottom rack below baking stone. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On stovetop, bring 4-5 cups water to a boil. Slide parchment and bread onto baking stone; pour boiling water into pan on bottom rack. Bake bread 10 minutes, reduce heat to 375 degrees and continue to bake 30-40 minutes or until golden brown (about 205 degrees internal temperature on instant read thermometer). Slide parchment paper and bread onto wire cooling rack; cool.
Excellent served with cold milk, eggnog, or spread lightly sweetened cream cheese. Toast slices to warm chocolate.
Quick Method:
Place water, yeast and sugar in stand mixer bowl. Stir in 1 cup flour; add salt and 3 to 3 1/2 more cups flour, knead with dough hook on low speed until dough leaves slides of bowl but still sticks to the bottom (about 5 minutes), add additional flour as needed; keep dough soft almost sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap sprayed with non-stick spray and allow raise until double in bulk (1-3 hours). Remove dough from pan to a floured surface and flatten into a 10 or 12 inch square. Place chocolate down center of dough, fold dough over chocolate; roll and shape into log; place log on parchment paper then on a flat baking sheet (see note below**). Allow to rise until almost double in bulk (20-60 minutes). Using a sharp knife cut slashes across the loaf the length of the loaf, brush top with melted butter.
Crust is crunchier if baked on a stone.** While bread is rising, place baking stone in the middle of the oven; place a 9×13 metal pan on bottom rack below baking stone. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On stovetop, bring 4-5 cups water to a boil. Slide parchment and bread onto baking stone; pour boiling water into pan on bottom rack. Bake bread 10 minutes, reduce heat to 375 degrees and continue to bake 30-40 minutes or until golden brown (about 205 degrees internal temperature on instant read thermometer). Slide parchment paper and bread onto wire cooling rack; cool.
Excellent served with cold milk, eggnog, or spread with lightly sweetened cream cheese. Toast slices to warm chocolate.
Notes:
Recipe was inspired by Berkshire Mountain Bakery’s Bread and Chocolate. Rustic Chocolate Swirl Bread is a delightful homemade bread, and like Berkshire Mountain, a third of the bread’s weight is chocolate. Its excellent plain with a glass of cold milk; wonderful as French Toast; very tasty as a banana sandwich; or follow Berkshire Mountain’s suggestion and serve it with ice cream and berries. Makes 1 large loaf or smaller boules
* Bread flour has higher gluten content than all-purpose flour. The gluten development in the bread allows the dough to stretch and hold as it rises, creating a higher volume loaf. All-purpose may be used in this recipe (expect a more compact loaf of bread); or Bread flour substitution add 1-teaspoon vital gluten per cup flour.
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