Chocolate Loaves

Oh!, has been a very hectic period before CNY and until Cheng Beng [in between busy with closing accounts for tax purposes and preparation to move office], hardly have time to bake some nice loaves until now.  A long outstanding loaf bread to bake.   Instead of baking in a Pullman's tin, I made into 3 small loaves and baked them in a 7 inch greased square tin.

A soft, fluffy and moist chocolate bread.  Slightly soft dough but manageable, didn't stick to the fingers while shaping and the bread turns out slightly crusty but soft inside.  BTW, the bread stays soft even on the third day.  The whitish thing is actually flour.  The recipe is a keeper. 

            Ingredients

[used 7 inch square tin]

400 gm bread flour

30 gm cocoa powder [I used chocolate powder]

1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp milk powder [I used skimmed milk powder]

3 tbsp sugar

1.5 tsp instant yeast
270 ml water
2 tbsp butter

1. Sift flour and cocoa powder together.  Add in salt, sugar and milk powder.
2. Place sifted ingredients in a mixing bowl.   Add in yeast.  Gradually add in water as you knead the dough for 5-10 minutes until soft dough is formed.
3. Add in the butter and continue kneading for a further 10-15 minutes or until dough is soft, smooth and elastic.   Shape into a ball and cover to proof for 20 minutes or until double in size.
4. Punch down the dough, divide into 3 equal portions.  Shape in round balls.  
5. Roll out each portion and fold into thirds, then flatten into a rectangle and roll into a swiss roll.    
6. Place the 3 swiss rolls in prepared baking tin.  Leave to proof for an hour or until double in size [dough will rise over the rim of the tin].
7. Bake in preheated oven at 180 degrees C for 30 minutes.
8. Remove and leave to cool before storing.