Toast is a very common breakfast component, and usually eaten with butter or jam, spreads or marmalade. Toast made from this bread is different. It is completely chocolaty. Dark cocoa powder gives it a great depth of flavour, while bits of dark chocolate give it sweetness. You can toast this bread or serve it just the way it is; warm from the oven or slightly cooled.
Ingredients
300 grams plain flour
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon dried yeast
120 ml whole milk
120 ml hot water
50 grams icing sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
100 grams dark chocolate, roughly grated
Preparation
Sift the flour and the cocoa powder twice, then reserve about a tablespoon and put the rest in a large bowl. Add the dried yeast, cinnamon and icing sugar, whisk well and make a well in the centre. In another bowl, whisk together the milk and warm water. Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients and mix, first with a wooden spoon, then knead with your hands until the dough comes together. Transfer the sticky dough to a well floured surface (use the reserved flour for this) and knead it for about 10 minutes, until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
Put it in an oiled bowl, toss it to coat, then cover with a kitchen towel and let it sit in a warm place for about an hour, or until doubled in size. After an hour, flour the surface again (because the dough will be sticky), flatten the dough with your hands, sprinkle on the grated chocolate and knead the dough until the chocolate is evenly distributed, then shape it into a round loaf. Grease and flour the baking sheet, put the dough in the centre, gently flatten it on the top, slash it a few times with a sharp knife, then cover again with a kitchen towel and let it rise for another 30 minutes. Bake the loaf in a preheated oven, at 200˚C (395˚F) for 30-35 minutes (cover the loaf with aluminium foil after 20 minutes, so it doesn't burn).
