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Chocolate Twisted Bread - twisted from Jeffrey Hamelman's berne brot

MadAboutB8's picture
MadAboutB8

Chocolate Twisted Bread - twisted from Jeffrey Hamelman's berne brot

This bread was meant to be brought to the picnic with my girlfriends and their kids. It was raining for the whole weekend and we had to cancel it. So, the bread ended up being my breakfast and weekend snacks...a happy weekend for me.

I used Jeffrey Hamelman's berne brot recipe from Bread cookbook. I made it once before and loved it. It is a buttery rich bread, without being too sweet. I figured it probably complement well with the chocolate filling...and it did. I never really like chocolate bread before. Now, I'm a convert, a chocolate bread lover.  Because the recipe is for the braided bread, it also worked well as a twisted bread.

You can find recipes and more details here http://youcandoitathome.blogspot.com/2010/11/chocolate-twisted-bread-twisted-from.html

The crumb is soft and tender with the chocolate filling twisted throughout.

It made a perfect breakfast while I checked TFL out as my weekend morning routine:)

Sue

http://youcandoitathome.blogspot.com/

Comments

ehanner's picture
ehanner

Great luck having the picnic canceled due to weather. What a wonderful looking bread. Moist and rich. I've not made that bread of Hamelman's but you make it hard to resist. Great photography BTW.

Eric

trailrunner's picture
trailrunner

I love accidents like the weather when they end up with such a treat to eat. I agree with Eric...great pic too ! c

wally's picture
wally

I love pain au chocolat, and now you've given me another way to incorporate chocolate into my dough.

Very nice!

Larry

dstroy's picture
dstroy

That looks so...fantastic. yum... I wouldnt be so sad about not having to share it either ;)

MadAboutB8's picture
MadAboutB8

Eric - Hamelman's berne brot is quite nice. It is a good sweet bread alternative to brioche.

Wally - if you love pain au chocolate, I think you would like this too.

Trailrunner & dstroy - though I dont' want to admit, it's great to be able to enjoy those bread myself without sharing..lol.

Sue

http://youcandoitathome.blogspot.com/

jyslouey's picture
jyslouey

That's a really yummy looking choc. bun  you've made.  I took a look at your recipe and noticed that the ingredients were very similar to the Hokkaido buns I made this past weekend, give or take a few grms difference in the flour and butter ( 250 grm flour / 30 grms butter / 100 grms milk which is almost half the qty of your recipe) I also  used the RB slap and fold method which was wonderful,  I was thumping so loud I was worried I would wake the neighbours @6:00 a.m. in the morning. 

May I ask if you rolled the dough to quarter inch thickness with a rolling pin to a form a rectangle?   I have an idea to fill the buns with homemade chestnut puree and would like to flattan the dough slightly to form a disc large enough to wrap the filling.  I'm not sure if I can flatten the dough as it's quite soft and spongey after the bulk fermentation and I'm afraid that I may damage the dough if I knead it with a rolling pin.  In the instructions, you mentioned to let it rise for two hrs in room temp with a stretch and fold halfway after the 1st hr.  Did you continue the bulk fermentation in room temp for the 2nd hr or did you put this straight in the fridge.? 

To make sure I understand  correctly, if I don't put the dough in the fridge after the bulk fermentation like you did,  I can go straight to shaping followed by 2nd proof and bake or shape, or I can leave dough to 2nd prove in fridge and then bake?  I hope I haven't confused you too much with my questions.  Thanks.

Judy

PS I've attached  pics of the Hokkaido bun and  crumb shot to give you an idea of the texture of my buns using a similar recipe:

I did not use any eggwash here as there is a crispy topping that goes on top of the bun.

MadAboutB8's picture
MadAboutB8

Hi Judy,

I like the idea of topping on the bun. I might try it next time when I make sweet loaves.

Yes, I used rolling pin to roll the dough out.

The dough was bulk fermented at room temp for 2 hours, and then bulk retarded in the fridge overnight, i.e. I fold the dough after an hour of fermentation, then ferment for one more hour after the fold, then put the bulk dough (after 2 hours fermentation) in the fridge for retardation.

Hamelman suggested in his book to retard the dough in bulk as it would make it easier to shape and braid when the dough is cold. (As you also mentioned that the dough is quite soft after the bulk fermentation.) However, he also suggested that you can continue with the shaping and bake after the bulk fermentation without retarding the dough. If you choose to do that, I think you will only need an hour - 1.5 hours to proof the shaped loaves.

Hope this helps:)

p.s. I like the chesnut filling too, it sounds yummy.

Sue

http://youcandoitathome.blogspot.com/ 

jyslouey's picture
jyslouey

The topping is nice and crisp when its fresh out of the oven, here's th recipe if you're interested to try it out:

25 grm butter

15 grms Crisco (if this is available in your part of the world, otherwise it's just vegetable shortening that looks a little like lard)

40 grm sugar

1 egg yolk

60 grms self raising flour

1 tsp vanilla essence

Just mix this all together and form a roll and wrap with clingfilm.  Keep in fridge until bun dough is ready.  Divide topping into portions, roll out to a flat disc and put into oven .  Bake at 200C for 15 - 20 mins.  This amount is good enough for 6 large buns.  Let me know if you would the instructions for making fresh chestnut puree - Judy

 

MadAboutB8's picture
MadAboutB8

The recipe sounds a bit like crumbles but less dry, less crunchy.  That could make a nice topping on custard buns too. Thanks for sharing.

Sue

http://youcandoitathome.blogspot.com/