Queen Bee Chocolate Bread
Adapted from Queen Bee Divine Bread and a David Lebovitz recipe
What is It? It’s the bread that will leave you with a crazed, cuckoo-for-Cocoa-Puffs glint in your eyes.
A loaf of bread with a soft, tear-apart crumb filled with dark chocolate chunks and nuts. If you want it gooey,
pop a slice in the toaster on low (the chocolate chunks will soften).
What can I make with it?
- Sandwiches for one thing. From simple peanut butter, honey & banana to smoked turkey, with habanero jack, cranberry jam and arugula.
- How about grilled cheese sandwich with smoked gouda, bacon and chipotle honey?
- Pair chocolate bread and cheese for holiday party plates.
- Or breakfast toast with raspberry jam and coffee. Chocolate bread French toast with cherry sauce.
- Chocolate Bread bread pudding with a rum chocolate sauce.
IMPORTANT: Read through entire recipe before starting.
Make roux first, see below.
Whisk together
2 cups sifted, Queen Bee Bread, Biscuit, Pie flour, minus 2 ½ Tb for roux
¾ cup tapioca starch
¼ cup good quality Dutch cocoa powder, sifted
1 ½ tsp espresso powder or finely ground coffee (optional)
2 tsp xanthan gum, this is in addition to what’s already in BBP blend
5 Tb organic sugar
1 tsp Real salt, (yes, this is a brand Redmond Real Salt)
Additional Ingredients
½ cup roux, see below
2 Tb milk
4 Tb unsalted butter
3 oz bittersweet baking chocolate
1 large egg, at room temperature, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
¾ cup dark chocolate chips or chunks
⅔ coarsely chopped toasted pecans
Proof yeast
¾ cup minus 1 Tb warmed (105°-110°) Knudsens Organic Just Pineapple Juice or Knudsens Apple Juice
2 tsp active dry yeast
1 Tb organic sugar
Optional: Egg wash (1 large egg yolk, beaten with 1-2 tsp water)
Preheat oven to 375°. Spray oil a 8x4” loaf pan, there will be a bit of extra batter which I baked in a small 3-4” round aluminum pan.
Place the dry ingredients in the bowl of stand mixer and whisk to combine well.
Melt baking chocolate and butter in small heat proof bowl over small pan of simmering water. Stir to combine.
In another pan, warm apple juice to 105°-110° then add 1 tsp vanilla extract. Be careful not to overheat apple juice as this destroy enzymes that assist with rise. In glass bowl or measuring cup gently whisk 1 Tb sugar, 2 tsp yeast into apple juice. Sit on warm stove to proof for 5-6 minutes.
To the flour mixture add the milk, roux, egg, proofed yeast mixture and melted chocolate/butter. Then mix on low speed with paddle attachment until combined. With a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Raise the mixer speed to medium and continue mixing for about 5 minutes (do not skip this). Add in the chocolate chunks and nuts. Mix until just combined. The ‘dough’ will be quite sticky, smooth and a bit dense.
Dipping rubber spatula into hot water, scoop dough into prepared loaf pan. Fill pan a smidge more than half way; do not over fill. You will have some extra. Smooth top with spatula. Continue dipping spatula in warm water as needed. Cover loosely with spray oiled plastic wrap. Allow to rise for about 2 hours in warm spot (stove top is good). Remove plastic wrap. If using, brush with egg wash. Do the same with the extra dough.
Bake in 375° oven for 30 minutes. Cover bread loosely with foil to prevent over-browning. Continue baking for 30 minutes more. Check for doneness with toothpick (very little crumbs) or thermometer (205°). If sticky crumbs cling to toothpick, bake for another 5-10 minutes.
Cool bread in pan on cooling rack for 10 minutes. Often bread will just slide right out of pan, this is ok. Do not allow bread to sweat in pan. Cool bread till just barely warm before slicing.
Tangzhong Roux (½ cup)
Whisk 1/6 cup BBP flour (2 ½ Tb) with 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Whisk to combine.
Cook, whisking constantly, over medium-high heat for about 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened to where the whisk leaves a trail visible behind it.
Cool quickly by spreading in a shallow dish, while preparing the rest of the recipe.