Thank you Zoe Francois–Whole Wheat Chocolate Bread

My favorite recipe from Healthy Breads in 5 Minutes a Day

Honestly, I  wasn’t expecting this recipe to turn out, but as I was flipping through bakery goddess, Zoe Francois’s book Healthy Breads in 5 Minutes a Day, I kept coming back to the recipe for Chocolate Expresso Whole Wheat Bread (p. 301). I couldn’t resist. Dark chocolate and whole wheat. Good for you dessertesque bread, I had to try it.

A foodie blogger buddy of mine, Stephanie Stiavetti, first introduced me to Zoe Francois (and I should mention her co-author Jeff Hertzberg) through a post on gluten-free brioche. The idea of good-for-you, easy-to-make breads got my hands itching for some flour.

Making the bread was even easier than I expected. Your food processor will do most of the work. I opted for some rich, dark Ghirardelli hot chocolate instead of Expresso, but I also added in a bit of Black Onyx Powder, a super-concentrated bit of chocolate magic I get at Savory Spice Shop. You literally pour the dough from the food processor into a bowl for it to rise. I let my dough marinate in the fridge for awhile–per Zoe’s suggestion. On day two (I couldn’t wait any longer!) I baked up the loaf. The dense, flavorful bread was an immediate favorite with my kids. My oldest topped hers with raspberry jam. I kept it simple with a little butter. Next time, I’d try adding dried tart cherries and or walnuts into the dough too (I think Zoe would approve). I also skimped on the raw sugar on top for some reason. I’d definitely be more generous with the sugar when I make the bread again (soon). If you’re looking to combine some serious chocolate with whole wheat thrown in (so you can technically call it a healthy snack), I’d recommend this recipe. As far as I can tell, the recipe isn’t available at Zoe’s blog, but I found an excerpt at TalkFood.