This is not a bread loaf or bunt bread. This is real bread. I
up-scaled the egg bread yesterday and it turned out heavenly. I am writing out
the recipe, as I made several revisions from the original. One major difference
is the lower temperature and a longer baking time. The substantial difference
from the egg bread is I added cocoa and increased the sugar. I ate it with
butter, Liv with Nutella and Jim just ate it. The crust blew me away; it was
extraordinary. The cocoa bread would make a wonderful addition to the bread
tray at a party. Imagine the surprise of people thinking they took the
“healthy” bread and then watch them go back and fight for more. The egg bread just
keeps on giving.
COCOA BREAD
2 eggs
2 tsp instant yeast
1/4 sugar sugar
1/2 tsp vinegar
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup flour
1-1/4 cups bread flour
1/4 cup cocoa
3/4 cup 1% milk
2 Tbsp oil
flour for handling
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, place all of the ingredients.
- With the flat beater, at low speed combine the ingredients. The dough will be wet and sticky.
- Switch to a dough hook and beat the dough vigorously until the sides of the bowl cleared. You can knead the dough by hand on a floured surface, but this is a sticky-dough and any additional flour will result in a denser loaf.
- Place the oil in a large bowl and transfer the dough turning over so it’s well coated with oil. Let the dough rise until it doubles in size. Time can vary.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Transfer the dough to a flat surface [it will be oily] and twist it into a skinny loaf to fit the baking sheet.
- Place the loaf on the prepared baking sheet.
- Allow bread to rest for about 15 minutes in a warm, draft-free place. It will rise a bit but not considerably.
- Turn the oven up to 450F. Set the timer for 9 minutes.
- When the timer goes, place the bread in the preheated oven. Set the timer for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, reduce the oven to 400F. Set the timer for 14 more minutes.
- When the timer goes remove the bread from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool before slicing. Don’t cut into it right of way.
- At room temperature, the cocoa bread slices wonderfully.
- Use it within 2 days or freeze part of it to retain its freshness.
