Chocolate Bread

What a pretty loaf. While I think many breads are pretty (something about the spongy dough blooming into a sturdy baked boule just warms the heart), I'd say this chocolate bread rises to the top for its strikingly dark crust. I was hankering for a new dimension to knead into a whole wheat dough, having already explored some of the more common accompaniments—honey, ginger, oat. Enter cocoa: an unexpected addition that lends itself to both sweet and savory. A dash of cinnamon put the loaf under the umbrella of harvest foods, an area that lately seems to be dominating the grocery aisles and my household alike.

Be warned: this loaf is intense. Consider it the stout of breads, with a sweet aroma, dark bite, dense crumb, and spicy finish. In addition to providing a very deep, coffee-brown color, the cocoa powder delivers a hearty warmth of flavor that would equally well counterbalance peanut butter or mustard and a sharp cheese. I ate mine with squash sauce. One note to consider before slicing open the yeast packet: in addition to the rising time required (two to three hours total), you'll want to dedicate a good 10 to 20 minutes to kneading, depending on your level of patience. The longer you knead, the more chewy and satisfying the texture.

Adapted from Whole Baking Grain's Whole Wheat Chocolate Cinnamon Yeast Bread
Chocolate Bread

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups water
1/2 TBSP apple cider vinegar
1 TBSP active dry or instant yeast
4 cups whole wheat flour, divided
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 TBSP cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions
--Heat water to wrist-temperature. Add vinegar, yeast, and 2 1/2 cups flour and mix until combined. Let rest 30-40 minutes; you should start to see bubbles in the mixture.
--Mix together oil, honey, cocoa, cinnamon, and salt. Once yeast mixture is starting to bubble, stir in chocolate mixture. Add 1 1/2 cups flour gradually, beginning to knead once the mixture is firm enough to handle with your hands. Keep kneading for 10-20 minutes; the dough will be sticky, but firm enough to stay together in one mass.
--Cover bowl and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about an hour
--Oil two loaf pans. Separate dough into two balls; divide each into three pieces and use your hands to smooth the pieces into ropes. Braid dough ropes on a flat surface and transfer to the pans. Let rise until doubled again, about an hour and a half.
--Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 30 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when tapped.