A simple touch of cocoa powder in the bread dough can add so much color and aroma to your everyday slice of bread.
Hello everyone…yes, I have been incognito for a few weeks…a combination of work load and other things in my life that I want to prioritize…such as travel (vacation)…and suddenly here we are past mid January…
Time indeed flies…even faster as older I get and so much has been happening around me, I just want to take in and enjoy every moment…I tried to take a small break from blogging and see how I felt…well…I miss it, so here I am back to the world of sharing recipes by blogging.
Okay, enough of this…and let’s talk about cocoa bread…
– How the cocoa bread taste?
Honestly not much different than the plain one, the color is very deceiving as I have imagined biting into a big chunk of chocolate…sorry to disappoint you…does not taste like chocolate.
– So, why bother adding cocoa powder into the bread dough?
Cocoa powder does not contain fats or sugar, therefore makes the bread a bit healthier and smell so good.
– Tangzhong method?
Yes, this recipe uses tangzhong method, which you can read more about it here. The bread stays soft, cottony for many days.
– Are you ready to give this recipe a try?
Ingredients:
Tangzhong or water roux
- 40 g flour
- 200 g water
Bread dough
- 450 g bread flour
- 35 g honey
- 25 g sugar
- 25 g unsweetened cocoa powder
- 5 g yeast
- 5 g salt
- 80 g heavy cream
- 70 g water
- 30 g butter
Method:
Tangzhong or Water roux
Whisk together the water and the flour until the mixture is well blended and free of lumps.
Stir the mixture while it cooks over the medium heat to reach 65oC/149 – 150oF. It takes about 2-3 minutes.
Continue whisking until the mixture starts to thicken. The mixture of flour will have “lines”.
Remove from the heat.
Transfer to a bowl, cover with a plastic film to avoid “skin” from forming.
Ready to add to the bread dough once is cool.
Tangzhong or water roux can bend kept in the fridge for up to 48 hours.
Cocoa bread dough
In the mixer, add all the water roux, and all the other ingredients under bread, except for the butter.
Turn the machine and stir for 2 to 3 minutes, until a uniform very wet and sticky dough.
Increase the speed to “2” and let it mix for 15 minutes. The dough should be very sticky. Do not add extra flour as the dough will be less sticky as gluten forms.
Add the butter and mix for 15 to 20 minutes more. Take a small portion of the dough (like a golf ball) and stretch gently until a very thin and transparent membrane (windowpane) and you can see light through it.
If the dough tears mix for another 2-3 minutes until the dough pass the windowpane test. demonstrating that the gluten is very well developed, and it will create a very light crumb. The dough should be very elastic.
Remove the dough from the mixer and place in a bowl by covering with a plastic film.
Let dough proof until the dough tripled to its original size.
Assembly
Shape the dough as you like. I used two different pans, one bread pan and the other one I made into small dinner rolls.
Knock back the dough and split into desired size and shape and let it rise until triple of its original size.
Cover the pan and bake in a preheated oven of 350oF for approximately 25 minutes.
Remove from the oven and flip the bread into a wire rack to cool.
– Looking for more bread recipes? Check these out…
Did you know that cocoa powder is healthy? Chocolate is made from cocoa plant by adding fat, sugar and vanilla, therefore need to be consumed in moderation. Unsweetened cocoa powder is a great source of iron, magnesium, zinc, manganese and other minerals. Moreover, studies have found cocoa powder to exert anti-inflammatory properties.
Hi Juliana,
Thank you for sharing this recipe. Excellent. Had dark cocoa that’s why couldn’t get the fantastic colour like you. Superb
Hi, what’s the effect of the heavy cream in this recipe? Can I don’t put the heavy cream?
Hi Jamie,
You can substitute the heavy cream for milk. The heavy cream adds a little more richness to the bread…adding whole milk instead will work too.
Thanks for stopping by…have a great week!
Dear Juliana, sensational Cocoa Bread – a must try for my upcoming baking projects and since I have yet to try baking yeast bread using your water roux method, this recipe of yours will be it!
Thank you for being such a wonderful inspiration!
Happy Sunday, my friend!
Andrea
I hope you get to try the water roux method in one of your yeast baking…thank you for the kind comment.
What a delicious looking bread! I can smell it from here.
Thanks Balvinder, and yes, this bread smells amazing…so chocolate!
I missed a post last week due to travel too. It’s the best way to be too busy! This bread looks so much fun. I am in a bread rut so I’ll have to pin for when my diet is over!
I love traveling and learn…I hope you get to try this bread…
Hi, can I don’t put heavy cream? What will the texture like without the heavy cream? Thanks you.
What a great idea! Your breads always look great. I can only imagine how good it tastes.
Thanks Judee…I just need to find a good recipe for gluten free bread to try…
This bread looks amazing and perfectly baked! The touch of cocoa is really a lovely addition.
Thanks Amy, and yes, the cocoa does make a great addition to the bread.
Your bread always looks phenomenal!! This is no exception. I’ve just started baking yeast bread again and MUST try a water roux. You’re an inspiration!!
Thanks Liz! Have fun with the bread yeast, and yes, try the water roux method…you will be amazed…
Hi Juliana! I’d love to make this however I don’t see cocoa powder in the list of ingredients. Or am I just missing something? Thanks so much!
Oh no MJ…I forgot to list it…I will take care of it as soon as I get a hold of my notes…sorry…and thank you so much for stopping by.
Hi MJ…I looked at my notes and I added 25 g unsweetened cocoa powder.
Thank you so much for picking on this mistake. I hope you get to try this recipe.
Warm regards,
Juliana
I am so curious about this bread, I love the color. Maybe we can drizzle chocolate on top if there is a sweet tooth attack lol.
Totally Evelyne…loving your idea!
I’m glad to see you’re back from your hiatus! I like the way you rolled the bread before baking- looks like an easy technique (I’ve been making rolled Swiss cakes recently) plus this makes the bread shape look more interesting!
Yes, I am back…rolling the dough like a Swiss roll give the bread some form of structure.
So tender and soft! These cocoa loaves turned out so perfect!
Thanks Angie…you too always share amazing bread recipes…
I bet it does smell good! It sounds and looks delicious, nothing like a good slice of tasty bread! Thanks for the recipe, Juliana
Yes Pam, the smell when baking is amazing…