Who's your daddy?
I'm your daddy. This is it. Full stop.
Here. Have a closer look.
It's yeasted chocolate bread.
And it's spectacular.
You nearly had to wait for it until next year. It was meant for the new cookbook.
But good news! Instead of being a waiter, you get to be a have-now-er. There's a reason. Its name is the-next-book-is-going-to-be-Gluten-Free Shortcuts (working title). And this bread? Not really fast enough to be a “shortcut.”
I've got some super-speedy-quick yeasted bread recipes lined up for the new cookbook. They're ready nearly as fast as yeast-free breads, but they have that special somethin' that only a yeasted bread has. But this one's a flunkie in the Step Lively Department. I begged and pleaded, but it is one stubborn son-of-a-gun. It was all, ‘No. I will not rise super-speedy-quick.' It's because of the cocoa powder. It messes with yeast.
My loss (kind of). Your gain (totally).
Not for nothing, but I really can't wait for the new cookbook. Wherein I raise my right hand and promise to tell you everything. Everything. Everything you ever wanted to know about getting great gluten-free food on the table in two shakes. Of a lamb's tail. On a weeknight. When you've been working until whine-30. And you're tired. And kinda cranky. And your children didn't do their homework yet. But you've still gotta eat, right? Follow me, tired friend, and we'll take care of business. Except you have to wait until next year. *sorry*
For now, you have yeasted chocolate bread. This is nothing like a brownie. Nothing like candy. And not at all a cake. It is gluten-free bread. Glorious, lightly-sweet and densely hearty bread that just so happens to fill the whole house with the rich smell of chocolate, studded with half-melted, creamy chocolate chips. If a gluten-free bakery made this for you, they'd make you pay. Oh, how you'd pay.
Here, it's totally inexpensive-gluten-free. ‘Cause you made it yourself.
Oh, man, this is the one. We've done did it. I'm waving the white flag. I give up. I would rather be really, really fat than not be able to eat this bread. Truth. Speak it. Eat it. Make it. Love it. In my mouth.
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 2 1/2 cups high-quality all-purpose gluten-free flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 8 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 3/4 cup semisweet or dark chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil (like grapeseed)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 extra-large egg & 1 extra-large egg white
- 1 1/4 cups milk, at about 100 degrees F
- Grease well with unsalted butter a loaf pan that is no more than 9 inches x 5 inches. Set it aside.
- In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, place the butter and chopped chocolate. Microwave at 30 second intervals on high power, stirring in between, until the chocolate and butter are smooth and shiny. Set it aside to cool slightly.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the flour, salt, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking soda, cream of tartar and sugar on low speed until well-combined. Add the yeast and mix once more on low until well combined. Add the chocolate chips, and mix on low until just mixed.
- To the stand mixer bowl, add the melted chocolate, and then the oil, vanilla and eggs, and mix on low until the dry ingredients are just moistened. With the mixer still on low speed, add the milk in a slow but steady stream. Once the dough has become together, turn the mixer on medium to high, and mix for about 4 or 5 minutes.
- Scrape the dough into the prepared loaf pan, spread until it is evenly distributed in the pan, and smooth the top with wet fingers.
- Cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap and leave to rise in a warm, humid place until the dough has risen about 3/4-inch above the lip of the loaf pan. Depending upon the environment in your kitchen, this may take more or less than 40 minutes. For tips on how to get your gluten-free bread to rise, read my post on the subject here: http://bit.ly/aCPX95
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
- Once the dough has risen, remove the plastic wrap and place in the center of the preheated oven. Bake, rotating once during baking, until the bread has developed a nice crust, and sounds hollow when you thump it with your fingers (about 45 minutes).
- Remove from the oven, and cool for about 10 minutes in the pan before placing it on a wire rack to cool completely. Cool completely before slicing and serving.
Love,
Me
P.S. If you haven't yet, please pick up a copy of My Cookbook! Without your support, I can't keep the blog going!
Barbara says
hi nicole,
i have been eyeing your recipes with great interest – my 8 year old son has to go gf, so i’m trying to get my head around cooking in an entirely new way. baking seems to be especially daunting, as every gf flour mix seems to be made of different grains and starch ratios…. i have noticed that you use all purpose flour + xanthan gum in a lot of recipes. unfortunately, here in switzerland i cannot seem to find xanthan gum, but guar gum and carob bean / locust bean gum seem to be sold in health food shops. any idea, if these could be used as 1:1 substitutes? if you or anyone reading this comment could weigh in with their experiences, i’d be most grateful!
thank you very much :) barbara
Nicole says
Hi, Barbara,
Yes, you should be able to substitute guar gum 1:1 for xanthan gum in recipes that call for xanthan gum. There are some differences between guar gum and xanthan gum (for example, xanthan gum tends to be better for breads, guar gum for cakes), but mostly I think it’s a distinction without much of a difference – except that guar gum tends to be less expensive. I hope that helps! If you have any other questions, ask away. :)
xoxo Nicole
Susan Plocher says
Well, I was afraid it wasn’t going to work b/c it didn’t appear to rise at all, but I baked it anyway – WOW was it fabulous! Turned out wonderfully – this is the first time I’ve made yeast bread where it was edible = this is WAY more than edible. Thanks, Nicole!!!
Nicole says
Sounds like you pushed through some of those concerns, Susan, and it paid off! I’m so glad everything worked out.
xoxo Nicole
Victoria says
I have a question. A dear friend of mine who has been cooking gluten free for years told me that to make bread I would need not just a stand up mixer, but something like a KitchenAide mixer. And not just the “simple” one that is about $200 but one that is more industrial. Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions?
Susan Plocher says
I use my kitchen aide stand mixer. It worked just fine. Any problems I have with bread making is my own fault or bad ingredients. I’d give it a “whirl” and see how your mixer does.
Nicole says
Hi, Victoria,
A KitchenAid is a stand mixer. It’s one brand of stand mixer. You don’t need the model with the bowl that raises and lowers, if that’s what you mean. It sounds like your friend has that machine, and is attributing her success to it. But the model that in the $200 range works a treat. Promise. I hope that helps.
xoxo Nicole
Victoria says
That was what I needed to know, if the standard Kitchenaid mixer everyone generally owns is just fine or if I really do need an “upgrade” on it. Thanks!
Susan Plocher says
Working on the recipe right now. I’m using salted butter b/c I didn’t have unsalted. We’ll see…
My question now is = if more than 100 degrees is too hot, what is too cool? Is there a range that is best to activate yeast? (my last attempt was such a spectacular failure and I’m trying to make sure this time works better! :-)
Carol Collett says
OMG!! I’m drooling so hard I need a bib! I’ll be making this soon.
Susan Plocher says
What happens if one doesn’t have no salt butter? What does that change in the recipe?
chris says
Good morning! So, not to be the grammar police or anything, but I think you meant to say “WINE-thirty”, not whine-thirty…lol, just kidding. Can’t wait to try this new bread and will be on pins and needles waiting for the new book :)
Nicole says
Hi, Chris,
Nope. I meant “whine-thirty,” like it’s late, and I’m whining. I was an English major. Grammar and spelling are my daily bread. When this chocolate bread isn’t. :)
xoxo Nicole
chris says
Yea, I knew that, but wine-thirty sounded like a good time to me :)
Pninit Cole says
OMG! You are amazing!! You MUST make this for the kids at camp or family weekend!! I am going to fget your book for my newly diagnosed mommy (10 year old daughter is Celiac). Your book/recipes will help bring her some much needed cheer!
Thank you!
Nicole says
Hi, Pninit,
So nice to hear from you! Family weekend seems such a long ways away, but I’m sure it’ll be here before we know it! Hope to see you soon. Thanks for the kind words. :)
xoxo Nicole
Jennifer Akers on Facebook says
Sounds delicious!
Laura says
Boo for Better Batter not being available to me! I live in Ontario (Canada) and it is just not able to make it all the way here via shipping!
I would even buy a big bag and cook non stop..
So, for those of us not as fortunate, what would you recommend?
Nicole says
Hi, Laura,
That is such a sad, sad story! According to Better Batter, their products are available in Canada at Winners and Homesense stores. I’m not sure if that helps you any. I sure hope it does! If not, I would suggest you contact Better Batter (try the email address on their website or posting a request on their Facebook page), and they can tell you what sort of guidelines to follow for making your own all-purpose blend (I would try to explain it to you here, but I’m no food scientist, and my knowledge would be outstripped almost immediately).
I hope you have Winners and Homesense stores available to you!
xoxo Nicole
Bernadette Gorham Wingertzahn on Facebook says
*gasp* – can’t wait to try this!!
Amanda Martinez on Facebook says
It’s like you were reading my mind. I have been dying for chocolate bread all week!
Mandy says
One more thing to add to my ‘please make for me on Thanksgiving’ wishlist to give to my stepmom. Whee!!
Nicole says
Hi, Mandy,
Bump it to the top of the list!
xoxo Nicole
Mandy says
Told her about it today. It’s gonna happen! BTW, she loves cinnamon. Have a cinnamon bread in the works? We bought out our local health food store’s supply of Better Batter. Time for some baking!
Amanda DeLara on Facebook says
and I thought I was going to lose weight on the gf diet.
Tracy says
So making this! Combines two of my favorite things! Will have to make a nice hot cup of hot coco to go with this.
Nicole says
Hi, Tracy,
For me, it’s a cup of tea at most. But if you’re man enough, go for the hot cocoa!
xoxo Nicole
Sherry L says
My oh my oh my!!! I think you may have out-done yourself with this one!! This looks amazing! MMMM grilled peanut butter and banana sandwiches on chocolate bread, french toast does sound heavenly too!! Ok, getting over my fear of homemade yeast bread, I will definately try this, and I will let you know when I do, although I fear it might leave me speachless!
Sherry
Nicole says
Hi, Sherry,
I think this is the right time to set aside your fears of yeast bread. Read the post first about getting your yeast bread to rise, then read through this recipe all the way, and dive in. It’s worth it. My oh my it’s worth it.
xoxo Nicole
Michelle Meyer on Facebook says
Stop it! Chocolate bread?? swoon….
Pamela G says
DROOOOOLLLLLLL………………visions of french toast dancing in my head, too…..
Nicole says
Hi, Pam!
Ooooh great idea. How is it that I hadn’t thought of that.
Make it and report back! None for Molly, though. :(
xoxo Nicole
JoAnn C says
Is it too early in our relationship to say I love you? I love chocolate, and I love bread. I’m a woman in love! Thanks Nicole!
Nicole says
Hi, JoAnn,
Not too early at all. I love you, too. I just never dared hope …. ;)
Seriously, this is the best bread I have ever tasted in my life. Full. Stop.
xoxo Nicole
CARLA says
hI,
Can u please specify a brand name for the yeast, I am Celiac,
will any kind do……
Fleizmanns instant or regular yeast do???????
Thank You. I really want this bread to turn out. Cause being Celiac is not much fun most times…… Thanks CN
Nicole says
Hi, Carla,
Fleischmann’s instant is gluten-free. I usually use Red Star instant yeast, which is also gluten-free. Instant yeast is the same as rapid rise is the same as bread machine yeast. Don’t worry. You’ll do fine. And I’m here if you need me. Just follow my directions to the letter, and you’ll be successful. Be sure to use a good all-purpose gluten free flour. I use and recommend Better Batter.
xoxo Nicole
CARLA says
Thanks so much for the quick response, it is very much appreciated, I live in Vancouver, and i read the post about the Flour, I use Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Baking
Flour, I will have to check if I still need to use xanthan gum with this flour, But I will go buy the Better Batter at Winners, thanks for that tip.
I will make it and let u know how it turns out, I don’t bake much Gluten Free, as u must know good results are hard to come by for us laypeople. LOL. Thanks again :)
Nicole says
Hi, Carla,
You might want to nose around on the blog a bit, since you’re here. :) I can’t stand bean flour mixes. They’re not true all purpose blends. I used to use them, when I didn’t know of anything better. Now, I know better, and there’s so much more available. Better Batter is your best bet. I’m so glad it is sold in a couple stores in Canada. Check out my FAQs page. It should get you started.
Good results should not be hard to come by at all. It isn’t rocket science, I promise. I know, because if it were, I wouldn’t be able to do it. You’ll do great!
xoxo Nicole