Chocolate Cherry Bread
This bread uses a chocolate flavored dough with chocolate pieces and dried cherries. Using coffee in place of water makes for a nice kick.
Chocolate Cherry Bread
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup water warm, about 104 ºF
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons fast acting yeast one package
- 3 cups white bread flour
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup coffee warm, about 104 ºF
- 4 tablespoons butter softened
- 1 egg separate white from yolk
- 2/3 cup dried cherries
- 4 ounces chocolate bittersweet, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Using a measuring cup, mix the warm water, sugar and yeast and set aside. Let it set for 5 or 10 minutes.
- Using a large mixing bowl, mix the flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar and salt.
- Separate the egg yolk and egg white. Put the egg white in a small bowl covered with plastic wrap and refrigerate it. We will use it as an egg wash later.
- Add the coffee, butter, egg yolk, and yeast mixture to the flour. Mix well, Paul Hollywood style with your hand.
- Lightly flour your hands and working surface.
- Turn the dough out onto your floured working surface.
- Knead for about 10 minutes. The dough should be smooth and elastic.
- Knead in the dried cherries and chocolate chunks until they are well distributed. Shape the dough into a ball.
- Grease a large mixing bowl and put the dough into it. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 90 minutes or so, until the dough has doubled.
- Punch the down down and turn it onto a floured work surface. Cut the dough in half and let it rest for 10 or 15 minutes.
- Shape each half of dough into a ball, tucking the sides under each ball. You want a taught ball.
- Put the balls onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper or parchment paper. Keep the balls 3 or 4 inches apart.
- Cover the dough balls and let them rise for about an hour or so, until they have doubled in size.
- Preheat your oven to 400 ºF.
- Take the egg white out of the refrigerator and mix it with a teaspoon of water. Lightly brush the tops of the loaves with the egg whites.
- Use a serrated knife to cut an 'X' on the tops of each loaf ball.
- Bake for about 35 minutes. Because the loaves are dark, it will be hard to tell when the bread is done. It should sound hollow when you thump on the bottom.
- Cool on a wire rack..
