Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day: 100 New Recipes Featuring Whole Grains, Fruits, Vegetables, and Gluten-Free Ingredients (35 page)

IT’S TRUE, CHOCOLATE MAY HAVE POWERFUL HEALTH BENEFITS:
Moderation is the key, because chocolate is high in sugar and fat. But chocolate contains phytochemicals (beneficial plant chemicals) that may increase HDL (good) cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and decrease the likelihood of blood clots. Milk chocolate has less of these phytochemicals than dark chocolate because some of the cocoa is replaced by milk, and white chocolate doesn’t have any at all.

Feeling better yet? Well, your coffee contains antioxidants.
According to one study, Americans get their highest dose of antioxidants from coffee. It’s not yet clear whether that translates into higher body stores of antioxidants, but it’s opened up a whole new area of research, not to mention apparently justifying those mocha lattes (careful: sweetened or creamy coffee drinks are a major source of unnecessary calories).

2 cups whole wheat flour

4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup cocoa powder

1½ tablespoons granulated yeast, or 2 packets

1 tablespoon kosher salt (
increase or decrease to taste
)

¼ cup vital wheat gluten

1 cup lukewarm brewed espresso or strong coffee

1¼ cups lukewarm water

4 large eggs

½ cup neutral-flavored oil

¾ cup honey

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water) for brushing on top crust

Raw sugar for sprinkling on top

1. Mixing and storing the dough:
Whisk together the flours, cocoa powder, yeast, salt, and vital wheat gluten in a 5-quart bowl, or a lidded (not airtight) food container.

2.
Combine the liquid ingredients and the chopped chocolate and mix with the dry ingredients without kneading, using a spoon, a 14-cup food processor (with dough attachment), or a heavy-duty stand mixer (with paddle). You might need to use wet hands to get the last bit of flour to incorporate if you’re not using a machine.

3.
The dough will be loose, but it will firm up when chilled.
Don’t try to use it without chilling at least 2 hours

4.
Cover (not airtight), and allow the dough to rest at room temperature until it rises and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours.

5.
Refrigerate it in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 5 days. Beyond that, the dough stores well in the freezer for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container. Freeze it in 2-pound portions. When using frozen dough, thaw it in the refrigerator for 24 hours before use, then allow the usual rest/rise time.

6. On baking day
, grease an 8½ × 4½-inch nonstick loaf pan. Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 2-pound (cantaloupe-size) piece. Dust the piece with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.

7.
Elongate the ball into an oval and place it into the loaf pan; your goal is to fill the pan about three-quarters full. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rest and rise for 1 hour 45 minutes.

8. Thirty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 350°F,
with a rack placed in the center of the oven. If you’re not using a stone in the oven, a 5-minute preheat is adequate. Steam is not needed.

9.
Just before baking, Use a pastry brush to brush the loaf’s top crust with egg wash, and then sprinkle with the raw sugar.

10.
Bake near the center of the oven for approximately 45 to 50 minutes, until firm.

11.
Remove the bread from the pan and allow it to cool on a rack before slicing and eating.

1. On baking day, grease a muffin tin.
Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1½-pound (small cantaloupe-size) piece. Dust the piece with more flour and quickly shape it into a smooth ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.

2. To form the cupcakes,
divide the ball into 12 roughly equal portions (each about the size of a golf ball). Shape each one into a smooth ball as you did above. Place the buns in the prepared muffin tins. Allow to rest, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for 40 minutes.

3. Thirty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 350°F,
with a rack placed in the middle of the oven. If you’re not using a stone in the oven, a 5-minute preheat is adequate.

4.
Just before baking, use a pastry brush to paint the top crust with egg wash, and then sprinkle with the raw sugar. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the cupcakes are richly browned and firm.

5.
Remove the cupcakes from the tin and allow to cool on a rack before eating.

½ pound (orange-size portion)
Chocolate Espresso Whole Wheat Bread dough

2 ounces coarsely chopped high-quality bittersweet chocolate, preferably Callebaut or the equivalent (or chocolate chips)

½ cup dried cranberries

Zest from 1 tangerine, removed with a coarse grater

Tangerine sections for garnish

1.
Grease an 8-inch square baking pan and set aside.

2.
Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a ½-pound (orange-size) piece of dough.

3.
Work the chocolate, dried cranberries, and zest into the dough with your fingers. Don’t use any flour. Roughly press the mixture into a ball with wet hands.

4.
Flatten the ball to a thickness of about ¾ inch and press it into the prepared pan. Allow to rest, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for 90 minutes.

5. Thirty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 350°F,
with a rack placed in the center of the oven. If you’re not using a stone in the oven, a 5-minute preheat is adequate.

6.
Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, until firm and set.

7.
Cool the pan completely on a rack, cut into squares, and serve garnished with the tangerine sections.