Chocolate Chunk Yeast Bread

The story behind this bread recipe is this: I have a calendar app on my phone that displays a different picture every day.  Some days I notice the picture, some days not.  This day, I definitely notice the picture because it was of this amazing looking chunky chocolate swirled bread.  I couldn't trace the picture back to a recipe, so I came up with one of my own, and wow did it impress!  I modified the recipe for Basic Soft White Sandwich Loaf (One of my favorite sandwich breads, and really not difficult to make!) out of Rose Levy Beranbaum's The Bread Bible.  I substituted some whole wheat flour and tossed in some chopped chocolate and I couldn't be happier with the result! Don't let the fact that this recipe starts with a sponge deter you.  It really is not any more difficult, it just sounds daunting.

Chocolate Chunk Yeast Bread

Sponge (Dough Starter):
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon instant yeast
1 3/4 cups room temperature water
2 Tablespoons honey

Flour Mixture:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
3/4 teaspoon instant yeast
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
6 ounces semi sweet chocolate, chopped (about 1 cup chopped)

For the sponge, in a large bowl combine the flour, yeast, water, and honey.  Whisk together vigorously until completely incorporated and smooth.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and set aside.

For the flour mixture, in a medium sized bowl, stir together the whole wheat flour, dry milk, and yeast.  Sprinkle this flour mixture on top of the sponge and cover tightly with plastic wrap.  Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour, then transfer to the refrigerator for 8 to 24 hours.  The sponge will bubble and rise a bit, which is normal.

When you are ready to make the bread, remove sponge from the refrigerator and add the butter and salt to the mixture.  With a large wooden spoon, stir the dough together until the all the flour is moistened.  When you can no longer incorporate anymore flour with the spoon, turn the mixture out onto your work surface and start kneading the dough until all of the flour is incorporated.  Knead for about five minutes, lightly flouring your hands and work surface (use as little flour as possible) as necessary.  The dough will be very sticky.  Place the bowl upside down over the dough and let rest for about 20 minutes (this will help the dough to be less sticky).  

Remove the bowl from over the top of the dough and knead for another 5 minutes.  Lightly spray a large bowl with cooking spray, and place the dough inside.  Spray the top of the dough with cooking spray and cover tightly with plastic wrap.  Let the dough rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until about double in size.  Once the dough has risen, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and press gently into a rectangle.  Sprinkle the chopped chocolate evenly over the dough.  Fold the right side of the dough halfway over, then the left side of the dough overlapping the right side (like a tri folded business letter).  Repeat this process by folding the top halfway over then the bottom overlapping the top, again like a tri folded business letter. Replace the dough in the greased bowl, cover and let rise about 1 hour.

Grease 2 8x4 inch loaf pans.  Remove the dough from the bowl and divide in half.  Pat each half into a rectangle, pressing out any large air bubbles.  Fold the right side of the dough about halfway over, then fold the left side to overlap the right.  Starting at the top, begin rolling the dough tightly until it forms a log.  Place each log into a prepared loaf pan, and let rise about 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the center of the dough is about 1 inch above the sides of the pan.

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Place the bread in the oven and let bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.  Remove bread from the oven and immediately remove from pans.  Let cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing.  Makes 2 loaves.

Enjoy!  -Cardamommy