Chocolate Marble Bread with Ganache

I love chocolate! I will never understand how some people don’t like chocolate. I think it is the yummiest thing on the planet you can eat.  I try not to eat too much of it but here and there it’s always a pleasure to have.  Lately though I’ve really been craving chocolate!

I wanted to make mini loaves of bread for a few neighbors so I researched different types of bread.  I came across this gem of a recipe and was really excited to try it.  It was a fairly simple recipe and turned out very beautiful.

I love the swirls each piece of bread has.  It looks pretty fancy but it’s actually quite simple to do.  After the bread has cooled you make a simple chocolate ganache and spread it over the top. It hardens up after an hour and then the bread is ready!  I kept a mini loaf for myself and had a piece and was amazed at how yummy it was. I had never had chocolate bread before so I didn’t know what to expect.  It wasn’t as sweet as cake but reminded me of cake. It’s better than cake!  Derek isn’t too into sweets and usually just has one bite or two or them but he had 3 pieces of this bread so you know it’s good!  I can not wait to try this again. I told my chocolate loving mother-in-law about it and she wants to try it too so I’m sure I will be baking this up again soon!

Slightly adapted from Martha Stewart

Yield: Makes one 8 ½ inch loaf or 2-3 mini loaves

2 sticks butter, softened, plus more for pan

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

½ teaspoon salt

¾ teaspoon baking powder

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (or about 1 ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips)

2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

4 large eggs

½ cup whole milk

¼ cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter an 8 ½ by 4 by 2 ½ inch loaf pan; dust with flour, tapping out excess.  Sift flour, salt and baking powder into a medium bowl.

Melt 5 ounces chocolate in a heatproof bowl (or 1 cup chocolate chips) in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth.

Put butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Mix on low speed until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes.  Add sugar; raise speed to medium.  Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.  Scrape down sides of bowl.  Mix in eggs, 1 at a time.  Reduce speed to low.  Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two batches of milk.  Mix until just combined.

Pour half of batter into melted chocolate; stir well.  Alternating between remaining plain batter and the chocolate batter, drop large spoonfuls of batter into the prepared pan.  When pan is filled, use a table knife to cut through mixture with a swirling motion.

Bake until a cake tester(or toothpick) inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour. (40-45 minutes for mini loaves)  If bread browns to quickly, tent with foil.  Let bread cool slightly in pan on a wire rack, about 10 minutes.  Run a thin knife around edges of bread to loosen; unmold.  Let cool completely on rack.

Make ganache: Put the remaining 3 ounces chocolate in a medium bowl. (or ½ cup of chocolate chips)  Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until just about to simmer.  Pour cream over chocolate; stir until mixture is smooth.  Let stand 10 minutes to thicken slightly.  Using a small offset spatula, spread ganache over cooled cake; let stand until set, about 1 hour.  Bread can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 2 days.