Chocolate Bread

As you may know, I’m found of doing fusion with basic bread recipes. Since, this month’s we knead to bake 35 challenge was “bread of y(our)  choice” so, I thought to bake a bread with my all-time favorite ingredient “Chocolate”. 

In fact, I tried one with my own recipe but, it turned out pretty close to a cake like taste. So, I go with   Mr.David, (French Chef, whom I regularly follow and read) recipe. I must say this will satisfy both the Chocolate lovers as well the bread.

Ingredient  –   ¾ cup of full fat milk      ;      2 tsp of instant yeast      ;     6 tbsp of sugar     ;     55 gms of Butter     ;      85 gms of bittersweet chocolate coarsely chopped        ;         1 ½ tsp of instant coffee powder        ;         1 egg         ;         1/2 tsp of vanilla essence       ;       ¾ tsp salt       ;       2 cups bread Flour       ;       ¼ cup of coco powder        ;            90 gms of chocolate chips          ;        1/2 cup of chopped almond & walnuts

In a bowl add yeast, milk and sugar and kept aside for about 10 – 15 min to activate the yeast.

In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and butter to get smooth mixture.

Add the instant coffee, the egg, vanilla, sea salt to the Yeast mixture.

Stir the flour and cocoa powder, then add the butter-chocolate mixture and stir well until well-incorporated. Add the yeast mixture and mix vigorously with a flexible spatula until the dough should be quite moist and like sticky brownie batter. Cover the bowl with damp cloth and leave it for about 2hrs to rise.

Meanwhile, mix the chocolate chips and nuts and keep aside.

After 2 hrs, deflate the dough and add the nuts – choco-chips mixture, using the spatula, fold the dough well and transfer the dough into 9’’ (23 cm) greased loaf pan and cover again with damp cloth for about 1 hour.

After the second rise of the dough, transfer the loaf pan into 180ºC pre heated oven for about 30 – 40 min or until sounds hollow when it tapped. 

Cracked Wheat & Bran Bread

I was attracted by the Title of bread, while browsing karenskitchenstories.com (it’s one of my favorite too) and bookmarked it immediately.

Baking healthy, serving oven fresh bread to my family gives me a pleasure and satisfying feel.

The outcome of cracked wheat and bran bread is just amazing. I am happy to share here.

Cracked wheat produced from whole raw wheat kernels, which are crushed into smaller pieces. Initially, I was confused cracked wheat with Bulgur. Though, the bulgur also made from cracking wheat kernels. But, the wheat kernels are steamed and toasted before cracking. 

When the wheat processed for flour, the outer layer removed. (it is packed with nutrition) This outer layer is known as wheat bran.

Ingredients :  1 ¼ cups of boiling water       ;      ¼ cup +2 tbsp of cracked wheat   ;    1/4 cup of wheat bran       ;        1/4 cup of brown sugar       ;       1 tbsp of oil       ;   3/4 tsp of salt      ;        2 tsp of instant yeast       ;      1/2 cup of whole wheat flour    ;   2  1/3 cup of bread flour.

Procedure :     In the kitchen aid bowl, Add boiling water, cracked wheat, bran, oil, salt, and mix well and cover the bowl for about 15 minutes.

Add the whole wheat flour to the mixture and mix until fully incorporated. Add the yeast and 1 cup of the bread flour. Mix well.

Place the bowl into the kitchen aid and attach the dough hook. Run the mixer in med-speed and slowly add the rest of the flour till it combine well and forms slightly sticky dough.

Remove the bowl from mixer and knead further for about 15 minutes.

Apply oil on the dough and cover the bowl with damp cloth to rise for about 90 minutes or until double in size. Gently deflate the dough and roll into a loaf and place loaf pan and cover with damp cloth for about 60 minutes. 

Transfer the loaf pan into a pre-heated oven and bake at 180°C for about 40 min ot till it done well. (Tent the loaf with aluminum foil if it begins to brown too much)

Transfer the Bread loaf to the wire rack and allow it to cool.

No Knead Artisan Rolls

Due to the recent rain fall, the weather became cold and the winter begins earlier than last year.

In winter, I always try my level best to serve hot bread (direct from oven) for a weekend breakfast with fresh tropical juice. 

With the week end laziness, it’s quite difficult to start the dough preparation in the morning. Moreover, in winter fermentation process may take up to 3- 4 hrs.  Hence, the perfect choice is No – Knead Artisan Rolls.

Because, the dough prepared in the previous night. Without any much of kneading. In the morning all you have to do is just have a coffee and Bake.

Just, imagine……In a winter, the flavor of Coffee and the bread smell from the oven. Oh, it’s divine. 

Ingredient :  2 cups of Bread flour   ;     1 cup of whole wheat flour    ;       1 ½ tsp of Salt      ;      ½ tsp of Instant yeast      ;       1 ½ cups of Cool water    ;       1 Egg for egg wash. (Option)

In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt and yeast.  Gradually add water and mix with wooden spoon until a shaggy mixture forms till water is fully cooperated.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 10 hours. After 10 hours the dough should doubled in volume. Dust the work surface and hands with flour; shape the dough in to ball shape. If required, add little bit of flour.

Divide the dough into eight equal parts and shape them in to ball and place them on baking tray. Cover with damp cloth for about an hour. 

Give an egg wash to the rolls and score the dough with scissors.

 

Transfer the baking tray into a pre-heated oven and bake at 210°C for about 20 min. Serve it hot with half boil, butter and honey.

Recipe Source  Video