1/2 c Warm tap water; about 110
-degrees f
2 1/2 ts Active dry yeast
2 3/4 c Unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 c Unsweetened cocoa
3 tb Sugar
1 ts Salt
1 ts Finely grated orange zest
1/2 ts Ground cinnamon
2 tb Unsalted butter
1/4 c Milk
1 Egg
One 8-1/2″x4-1/2 “x2-3/4 ” loaf pan, buttered
1. Place the warm water in a small bowl and whisk in the yeast.
2. To mix the dough by hand, combine the flour, cocoa, sugar, salt,
orange zest, and cinnamon in a mixing bowl and stir well to combine.
Rub in the butter, until no pieces of butter remain visible. Add the
milk, egg, and yeast mixture and stir to form a rough dough. Transfer
the dough to a lightly floured work surface (you may need the help of
a scraper) and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5
minutes.
3. To mix the dough in a heavy-duty mixer, combine the flour, cocoa,
sugar, salt, orange zest, and cinnamon in a mixer bowl. Add the
butter, cut into 12 pieces, then add the milk, egg, and yeast
mixture. Mix on low speed with a dough hook until the dough is smooth
and elastic, about 5 minutes.
4. To mix the dough in a food processor, combine the flour, cocoa,
sugar, salt, orange zest, and cinnamon in a work bowl fitted with a
metal blade and pulse several times to mix. Add the butter and
continue to pulse until the mixture is a fine powder with no visible
pieces of butter. Add the milk, egg, and yeast mixture and pulse
until the mixture forms a ball. Allow the machine to run continuously
for 15 seconds.
5. Place the dough in a buttered bowl and turn to coat all sides.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise until
doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
6. Turn the risen dough from the bowl out onto a floured work surface.
Press the dough with the palms of your hands to deflate. To form a
loaf, stretch the dough into a rough rectangle, then fold in the
short ends until the dough is approximately the length of the pan.
Then fold the far long edge down to the middle. Fold over the
remaining long edge and compress to form a tight cylinder. Place the
loaf in the pan, seam side down. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and
allow the dough to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
7. While the loaf is rising, set a rack at the middle level of the
oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
8. When the loaf has doubled in pan, place in the oven and immediately
lower the temperature to 350 degrees F. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes,
until the loaf is well risen and firm to the touch. The internal
temperature of the bread will be about 210 degrees F when it is done.
Unmold the loaf to a rack to cool.
Makes one 8-1/2″x4-1/2″x2-3/4 ” loaf/About 6 to 8 servings
Yields
6 servings