Spiced chocolate Easter bread
By: Mariana de Sousa
Published: Monday, March 30, 2015 - 3:04am

Ingredients




375g strong white bread flour
4g salt
50g caster sugar
7g fast action yeast
1 tbsp grated nutmeg
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground cloves
150g candied citrus peel
60g unsalted butter
200ml milk
1 egg and 1 yolk
Filling:
150g milk chocolate, chopped
30g unsalted butter
20g cocoa powder
1 tbsp cinnamon
Glaze:
2 tbsp golden syrup or honey
1 tsp cinnamon
10ml water

Preparation

1 1. Tip the flour, sugar, salt, yeast and spices into a large mixing bowl. 2 2. Melt the butter and add the milk to it, heat this mixture until tepid. Add the egg and yolk to the flour mixture followed by half of the milk and butter and mix with your hands. Keep adding more of the milk mixture until all the flour has incorporated and you have a soft dough. Finally add the candied peel. 3 3. Sprinkle a clean work surface with flour and knead the dough for 15 minutes, the dough will start very sticky but avoid adding more flour, it should become less sticky as you work it.  Put the dough into a floured bowl and prove in a warm place, covered with a damp tea towel for 2 to 3 hours or until it doubles in size. Alternatively you can pop the dough in the fridge for 6-8 hours. 4 4. Make the filling by mixing all the ingredients together over low heat until all the chocolate is melted and butter is combined. 5 5. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and flatten it with a rolling pin. Spread the chocolate mixture on the dough and roll it up. Cut the hole in half and twist the two long pieces around each other, with the inside of the roll facing up as you do this. Make both ends meet and tuck them underneath each other so that it looks like a crown. Place on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper. Place the tray inside a clean plastic bag and leave to rise for one hour, or until doubled in size. 6 6. Preheat the oven to 170C and bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Place it on a wire rack. 7 7. To make glaze mix all ingredients together in a pan and bring it to simmer. Glaze the bread while still warm.

About

An enriched dough with spices, citrus and chocolate. Irresistible and perfect for breakfast on Easter Sunday.