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 a 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 the speed to medium.  Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.  Scrape down sides of the 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 the 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 the pan is filled, use a table knife to cut through mixture with a swirling motion.

 

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