Bread with Three Chocolates

You might be surprised to see that this bread is not from Bernard Clayton.  Well, he doesn't seem to have  a love of chocolate and so not too many chocolate breads. After having made his a few times, I decided to branch out, and I found this recipe by Beth Hensperger. It’s quite yummy and the espresso gives it a nice little kick.

Bread with Three Chocolates [2 round loaves]

Beth Hensperger

INGREDIENTS

1 cup warm water (105º to 115ºF)

1 package yeast

1/2 cup sugar

5 1/2 to 6 cups bread flour

1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder

2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

2 teaspoons salt

1 cup warm milk (105° to 115°F)

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 large eggs

5 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 ounces milk chocolate, chopped

BAKING PANS 2 8-inch springform pans, greased

Pour 1/2 cup warm water in a small bowl. Sprinkle the yeast and a pinch of the sugar over the surface of the water. Stir to dissolve and let stand at room temperature until foamy, about 10 minutes.

In a large bowl using a whisk combine 2 cups flour, the remaining sugar, cocoa, espresso, and salt. Add remaining the warm water, the milk, butter, and eggs. Beat hard until smooth and add the yeast mixture. Beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the chopped chocolate with a wooden spoon. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until a shaggy dough that just clears the sides of the bowl is formed. Take care not to break up chocolate too much.  (Bigger is better when it comes to chocolate!)

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 5 minutes, dusting with flour only 1 tablespoon at a time as needed to make a smooth, silky dough.

FIRST RISING: 1-1 1/2 hour

Place the dough in a greased bowl. Turn once to grease the top and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

SECOND RISING: 30 mins

Gently deflate the dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Shape the portions into round loaves and place the loaves in the pans. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise to 1 inch above the rim of the pans, about 30 minutes.

Twenty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the containers on a rack in the center of the oven and bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until crusty and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the loaves to a cooling rack. Cut into wedges to serve.