It’s the day after Easter and flowers on the trees are blooming… wait, not they’re not. We just had another snow day! This is borderline ridiculous! How many more days until Summer??? While we were stuck inside, again, I made a Braided Chocolate Bread with a Simple Syrup Glaze to keep us in good spirits. At least it made the day taste better.
I love the way the Chocolate filling ribbons through the brioche dough. The recipe for the chocolate filling is from Broma Bakery. It’s the perfect amount of chocolate and a great consistency for the bread.
Just like other sweet dough and brioche recipes, you make the dough and put it in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, divide the dough in half, roll out each piece and spread the filling in both. Roll each up and slice down the middle. You should have 4 pieces to work with.
I then used a 4 dough weave to make the bread. You weave it by moving the 4 dough pieces, right over left, right over left, left in the middle. I actually watched a few YouTube videos on how to do this. “The Bread Machine” has a good tutorial.
After weaving it, place dough in a parchment lined bread pan and let it rise for about an hour. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until browned.
You have to eat it warm from the oven. This bread is so delicious and full of chocolate. It’s a recipe that you’ll want to make over and over.
Braided Chocolate Bread with Simple Syrup Glaze
Ingredients
- 1 package instant yeast
- 1 cup buttermilk, warmed, not hot
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 cups flour
- 6 tbsp softened butter
Chocolate Filling
- 2 oz dark chocolate
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
Glaze
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 3 tbsp water
Instructions
- Warm buttermilk in the microwave until slightly warm but not hot. Pour in a Kitchenaide bowl. Sprinkle yeast on top. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Add sugar, salt, vanilla, egg and zest. Attach dough hook and turn on the machine. Add the flour a cup at a time. After the flour is in, add the softened butter a tbsp at a time. Let the dough kneed for a few minutes. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight.
Chocolate Filling
- The next day start with making the chocolate. Place dark chocolate in a microwave safe bowl with the butter. Microwave until melted. Add cocoa powder and powdered sugar and mix. Take out dough from the refrigerator. Cut it in half on a cutting board. Roll out each dough half into a rectangle. Spread 1/2 of the chocolate mixture over each piece of dough. Roll them up lengthwise. Cut down the middle so that you have 4 pieces.I then used a 4 dough weave to make the bread. After weaving it, place dough in a parchment lined bread pan and let it rise for about an hour. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until browned.
Glaze
- Combine sugar and water in a saucepan. Boil until sugar is dissolved. Cool, then brush fully on bread.
