Chocolate Bread

chocolate bread

"This recipe evolved one night when I was making
bread and decided to experiment. I love the end result
because it's light, mild-flavoured and surprisingly healthy
(well, healthier than cake). It has the perfect balance of
sweetness and bitterness, so you can enjoy it in many
different ways. It's great topped with our own dulce
de leche caramel, or simply butter and jam."
Samanta Bakker, chocolatier, Koko Black

Serves 6-8

1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp each ground cinnamon & allspice
1/4 cup (25g) cocoa powder
l 2/3 cups (250g) plain flour
1 tsp instant espresso coffee
7g sachet dry active yeast
1 1/2 tbs dark brown sugar
25g milk chocolate callets* or chopped
good-quality milk chocolate
25g chopped blanched almonds,
plus extra to garnish
50ml olive oil
1 egg yolk, lightly whisked
Duice de leche caramel*, to serve

Sift spices, cocoa and flour into a bowl.
Add coffee, yeast, sugar, chocolate,
chopped almonds, olive oil, '/2 tsp salt
and 150ml warm water, then stir with a
wooden spoon until combined. Use your
hands to bring dough together in the bowl.
Cover with a clean tea towel and stand
in a warm place for 1 hour or until the
dough doubles in size.
Turn the dough onto a very lightly
floured surface and knead for 15 minutes
or until smooth and elastic (or knead in an
electric mixer with dough hook attached
for 5 minutes). Shape into a log, place on
an oiled tray and cover with a clean tea
towel. Stand in a warm place for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 180@C.

Brush the top of the loaf with whisked
yolk and sprinkle with extra almonds.
Bake in oven for 20 minutes or until
you hear a hollow sound when you tap on
the base. Cool, then slice loaf and serve
with duice de leche caramel spread.

Store in an airtight container for 2 days.

* From gourmet shops and Koko Black,
visit: kokoblack.com.