Soft Chocolate Cherry Bread Recipes

SOFT CHOCOLATE CHERRY BREAD

Steps:

• Combine the sugar, cocoa powder, salt, undissolved yeast and 1 1/2 cups of the flour in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the milk and vanilla and heat until warm (120 to 130 degrees F).
• Add the butter mixture to the dry ingredients. With an electric mixer, mix on medium speed, gradually adding the egg and remaining cup of flour, until smooth and sticky, about 2 minutes. Fold in the chocolate chips and cherries.
• Let the batter rest for 10 minutes. Generously grease a 12-cup muffin pan. Portion the batter into the pan and let it rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake the muffins until a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY QUICK BREAD

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-by-4-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray and line it with parchment paper.
• Combine the dried cherries with the 1 teaspoon cocoa powder in a small bowl. Toss to evenly coat and set aside.
• Microwave the cherry juice in a microwave-safe measuring cup until steaming, about 1 minute. Transfer to a medium bowl, add the 1/2 cup cocoa and whisk until smooth. Set aside while you prepare the dry ingredients.
• Put the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in another medium bowl and whisk well to combine.
• Add the oil, egg, egg white and vanilla to the warm cocoa mixture then whisk to combine. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir until incorporated. Pour about 1/3 of the batter into the prepared pan. Stir the cocoa-coated cherries into the remaining batter, then pour that batter into the pan. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top.
• Place the loaf pan on a baking sheet and bake on the center rack until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs, 60 to 64 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes then remove the quick bread to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing with a serrated knife (this will cut through the cherries easily and yield a clean slice).
• Serve or wrap the cooled loaf in plastic wrap or foil and store on the counter for up to 3 days.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY BREAD

Steps:

• In cup, combine warm water, yeast, and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar; stir to dissolve. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in large bowl, combine 3 cups flour, cocoa, brown sugar, and salt.
• With wooden spoon, stir warm coffee, butter, egg yolk (cover egg white and set aside in refrigerator), and yeast mixture into flour mixture.
• In bowl, with floured hands, knead several times to combine well.
• Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, working in enough of remaining 1/2 cup flour just to keep dough from sticking. Knead in cherries and chocolate pieces.
• Shape dough into ball; place in greased large bowl, turning dough to grease top. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place (80 to 85 degrees F) until doubled in volume, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
• Punch down dough.Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and CUT IN HALF; cover dough and let rest 15 minutes for easier shaping.
• Shape each dough HALF into 5-inch ball : Using the sides of your hands, tuck sides of dough under to meet in center. Rotate and repeat to form taut ball. Place balls, 3-inches apart, in opposite corners of ungreased large cookie sheet. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In cup, beat reserved egg white with water; use to brush tops of loaves. Sprinkle loaves with remaining 2 teaspoons granulated sugar. With serrated knife or single-edge razor blade, cut shallow X in top of each loaf.
• Bake until loaves are crusty, about 25 to 30 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer reads 185°F Tent loosely with foil after 20 minutes, if the loaves are browning too much (it might be difficult to tell!). Transfer to wire racks to cool.

CHOCOLATE-CHERRY SOURDOUGH BREAD

Steps:

• In a wide mixing bowl, whisk together the yeast and water and allow the yeast to bloom, about 1 minute. Whisk the sourdough starter into the mixture until dissolved, then add the flour, cocoa powder and coffee. Use a dough scraper to stir the ingredients into a shaggy mass. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 20 minutes, then add the salt, incorporating it well. Transfer to a lightly oiled plastic container and cover with plastic wrap; it will be sticky.
• Rest dough for 30 minutes, then lightly oil hands to fold: Pull one edge of the dough up and press it down into the center of the ball; repeat with the 3 other edges of the dough, then cover dough. In 30 minutes, repeat the folding, this time incorporating the chocolate chips and cherries. Repeat the folding every half-hour, for a total of 6 folds. Check for gluten development: Pinch a piece of dough between your fingers and stretch it. It should stretch out to a thin, transparent membrane before tearing. If not, repeat folding and check again.
• Turn the bread out onto a lightly floured surface and use hands to gently tuck the edges up toward the center of the dough, then flip the dough over so it's seam-side down, and gently round with your hands. Cover with plastic wrap and rest dough for 20 minutes, then tuck edges down toward the seam, to shape dough into a tighter ball. Cover with plastic wrap and rest for 10 minutes. Transfer to a flour-dusted wicker breadbasket, seam side up, pinching the seam shut if necessary. Wrap basket with plastic wrap, or slide the basket into a clean plastic bag, closing it. Proof at about 55 degrees, or in the refrigerator, for 14 to 16 hours, until dough has increased in size, and springs back slightly to the touch.
• When you're ready to bake, remove the dough from the refrigerator and transfer it, smooth side up, to a large cast-iron pot (with a lid) lined with a round of parchment paper. Be careful not to over-handle dough and lose air bubbles. Cover and bring to room temperature for 1 to 2 hours. Position a baking rack in the center of the oven and heat to 500 degrees. Using a razor or fine, sharp knife blade, score a cross on the top of dough, making a fast, clean cut about 1/8- to 1/4-inch deep.
• Bake covered for 33 minutes. Remove lid and bake for another 10 minutes, cracking open the oven door for the last 5 minutes. Push a thermometer into the bread dough; it should read 195 to 200 degrees for cooked bread. Transfer bread to a cooling rack, carefully remove the paper, and allow to cool completely at room temperature before cutting open.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY BREAD

Steps:

• Mix milk and yeast in a small bowl with a fork until frothy, about 5 minutes. Add egg, butter, white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat for 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1 cup flour. Beat for about 5 minutes. Add remaining 2 cups flour; mix until dough comes together.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead until dough is smooth and feels rubbery, about 10 minutes. Add additional flour if needed. Add chocolate chips and cherries; knead just until incorporated.
• Cover dough and let rise in a warm, humid area until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Punch down dough gently. Let rest for 10 minutes. Divide dough in half; shape into loaves. Transfer loaves to a greased baking sheet and let rise again, about 1 hour more.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven until browned, 20 to 30 minutes.