Chocolate and Cinnamon Bread

This is an indulgent sort of bread for those with a sweet tooth. I love it for breakfast, on special occasions.

As you can see from the picture, it makes BIG breads. For those with smaller appetites, please consider halving the recipe or making double the number of servings.

Chocolate Bread

For the dough:
150g/5 oz/1 cup wholemeal flour
350g/12 oz/2⅓ cups strong plain flour
1 tsp instant dried yeast

For the filling:
40g/1 oz/1¼ cup muscovado sugar
4 tsp cocoa powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
350g/12 fl oz/1½ cups water
60g/2 oz good quality dark chocolate
40g/1 oz brown sugar crystals
2 tsp ground cinnamon

Mix the dry ingredients for the dough in a large bowl.

Add the water a little at a time and mix by hand to make dough with a sticky consistency.  If the dough seems too stiff, add some extra water.  If the dough is too sloppy, add extra flour.

Leave the dough in the bowl to rise until it has doubled in size.

Turn it onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a few minutes.

Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a long, narrow strip, approximately 15cm x 30cm.

Sprinkle the filling mixture onto the dough and press it in to help it stick.

Carefully roll the dough, trapping the filling between the layers.

You may need to press the edges together to seal it better.

Cut the roll into seven or eight slices, each about an inch thick.

Lay the slices onto a pre-greased baking tray and leave them to rise for an hour or so.

Bake at 200^oC/360F for 15 minutes then leave to cool on a wire rack.

Serve with butter.

Want this recipe in a more convenient format? It's available as part of my handy set of recipe cards.