Monday, January 27, 2014

No-Knead Chocolate Bread-Bread Baking Buddy


I can't remember the last time I baked as a Bread Baking Buddy, let alone the last time I baked bread.  First my gluten intolerance, then being burnt out by my professional baking kept me away from one of my the greatest satisfactions, getting my hands in some yeast dough.  Lately I have  started baking again to my family's happiness.

I saw this bread when it was chosen as bread of the month by the Bread Baking Babes, and I decided to make it for my family since they love bread and they are all serious chocoholics.   Plus I was also up at 2 due to jet lag so why not bake some bread?

I followed the recipe to the letter, except that I omitted the chocolate chips in the dough and did some extra mixing since the dough didn't come together easily. 

I used the gluten developing technique I learned from my friend and mentor DMG, which works great with very wet doughs and when a mixer is not available.  I know this is a no-knead bread but the recipe warned that the dough works better when chilled, I figured I would get some gluten going to make it easier to handle.

After the initial mixing, I transferred the dough onto lightly floured surface, and by hand pulled the dough and folded it few times until it looked more homogeneous.  After a 10 minute rest, I pulled and refolded it again.  After another 30 minute rest, I pulled and folded it a final time.  The dough was left to rise in a warm spot for another hour and thirty minutes.

The recipe was chosen by Jamie of Life's a feast blog and can be found in Jamie's post, to find the recipe in a printed friendly link check Lien's post.

I left out the prunes, and tried two versions, a chocolate roll inspired by Ilva of the blog Lucullian Delights, and a loaf. 


For the loaf, I cut a pound and a half off the main dough, covered with chips and pat it down into a rectangle, rolled it tight as long as my loaf pan. I transferred the loaf, seam down, into the loaf pan and let it rise for 90 minutes in a warm place.  I then brushed it with the egg wash and covered it with sugar.  

For the chocolate roll bread I used the remaining dough, rolled the dough into a thin rectangle, brushed it with egg wash (one egg beaten with one yolk), sprinkled some granulated sugar and enough chocolate chips to cover most of the rectangle (leaving one long edge free of chips to seal it).  I then rolled the dough into a tight roll, cut about 2 inch sections and arranged them into a buttered 8" pan (the type with a 2" edge).  I let the shaped breads rise for 90 minutes, and baked it until the internal temperature reached 200F.

This bread was delicious, best eaten warm, but it makes a lot of dough so next time I will either make half of the recipe or freeze the dough after the first rise.  Loved the challenge!

13 comments:

LucyAndTheSky said...

That looks delicious! I've never made bread before, maybe chocolate bread is the best way to start :)
Lucy x
La Lingua : Food + Life in Milano

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

Irresistible! This bread is simply fabulous.

Cheers,

Rosa

Gaia said...

Pane?
con me sfondi una porta aperta!!
;-)
ciao e bentornata!

Laura said...

Lucy, I hope you get to try to make bread, it is such a satisfying experience.

Rosa, you are such a sweet heart!

Gaia, grazie! Come ben sai fare il pane e' una cosa incredibile, mannaggia al glutine pero'.

Jamie said...

Just beautiful! I am so thrilled you baked the recipe I selected this month (even at 2 am). No I think I have to go back and make it again so I can make the rolls. It's just stunning!

Lien said...

baking with a jetlag, that's so brave. It looks delicious, how hard for you baking and being gluten intolerant. Can't you eat any bread at all?
Glad you have a family to eat this with pleasure. xxx

Laura said...

Jamie, try the rolls, the look so pretty!

Lien, I can't eat anything that has wheat or gluten in it. Gluten free bread is just ok. The hardest part is to resist the temptation to eat just a little...once I start I can't stop!

Elizabeth said...

Lovely! Lovely! (Did you make this with gluten-free flour? If so, I'm doubly impressed!)

Laura said...

Elizabeth, I used regular flour. I haven't tried bread with GF flour, I personally think it is not worth the work.

I use GF flour when there is only little flour or such a strong flavor or texture that it doesn't matter.

Thanks for visiting!

Cluny said...

Wow!! In september I had cooking classes in Venice by www.italyfoodtour... and the bread we baked was...so deliciuous!! I love Italian cooking traditions!

Lisa said...

What a gorgeous bread, Laura. I've made and had chocolate breads before, but none that look as lovely and milk chocolate 'like' as yours. Love the gluten developing technique! I'm definitely filing away this one to make one day. That said, it was great seeing you again, and yeah, you're right, things not a lot better, but we'll see. xoxo Oh, do you still have your chickadees (now chickens, I suppose lol)

Past Life Regression Therapy said...

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