Chocolate Swirl Bread

Chocolate Swirl Bread 1 large loaf 

Dough 2 1/2 cups bread flour 1 pack or 2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 cup sugar  1/4 cup whole milk 1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled 1 tsp vanilla 3 eggs Melt butter in a microwaveable dish.  Add milk plus one teaspoon sugar.  Mix together, should be warm but not hot, or it will kill yeast. Add yeast, set aside for 5 minutes to let yeast activate.  While yeast is activating mix the reamining ingredients in a bread maker.  Add the yeast mixture to bread maker.  Set bread maker to dough setting normal loaf size.   Prepare the loaf pan by placing a piece of parchment paper in the pan with a 3 inch overhang on long side.

While dough is being made make the chocolate filling, crumb topping and egg wash.  Recipes below. 

When dough is finished roll out to 14x18 inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. 

 Spread chocolate filling evenly over dough, leave a 1/2 inch border along outer edge.  Sprinkle mini choclate chips over filling.  

Roll dough into a tight cylinder starting with longest side.  Pinch seam shut.  

Slice the dough cyclinder in half down the length to form two long pieces. 

With cut-sides facing up, pinch ends togetheron one side.  Braid the lengths together creating a large twist.  Pinch the ends together. 

Carefully tranfer to prepared bread loaf pan.  Tucking the ends underneath itself to fit. (the filling should be facing up and out.)

Brush the top with egg wash.  Sprinkle the crumb topping over the egg washed dough, lightly press the crumbs down.  Let dough sit for 20 minutes.  

Preheat oven to 350. Bake the loaf for 40 to 50 minutes.  Bread is done when golden brown and when skewer inserted in the middle of loaf comes out clean. 

 Let cool for 10 minutes in pan, then tranfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate filling 4 oz of bittersweet chocolate, chopped 4 Tablespoons  butter 1/4 cup powdered sugar 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Microwave for 1 minute the chocolate and butter together in a micrwable bowl. Stir if there are still lumps microwave for 30 more seconds then stir.  Repeat if necessary. Add powdered sugar and cocoa powder.  Mix well.  Do not add choclate chips to chocolate filling.

Egg wash 1 tsp water 1 egg, beaten

Beat together the egg and water.  Use patry brush to brush over loaf after it is in loaf pan and before crumb topping.  This will allow the crumbs to stick.  

Crumb topping 1/2 cup flour 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 4 Tablespoons butter

Slice and enjoy!!

*We enjoy eating this bread with Nutella hazelnut spread.