Chocolate Bread makes decadent panini

(Homemade Chocolate Bread is the base for this Brie Panini/Gannett News Service photos)

We’ve all heard of hybrid cars and hybrid plants, but hybrid breads?

That’s the gist of a feature on today’s Busy Cook in the Poughkeepsie Journal which offers bread recipes that are more like dessert.
Cherry-Pine Nut Bread uses dried cherries and toasted pine nuts for a dessert bread I would have no trouble using for a savory sandwich.

Here’s another recipe from Gannett News Service for Chocolate Bread that has chunks of chocolate imbedded into its chocolate base.
And as if that is not enough, a recipe follows for a brie panini using the chocolate bread and a slather of strawberry preserves for a fruity finish.

James Beard called bread “the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods; and good bread with fresh butter, the greatest of feasts.”

This recipe can make a feast for dessert or any meal of the day.

Chocolate Bread

1. 1 1/2 cups warm water, divided (or, if not using espresso powder, 1/2 cup warm water and 1 cup warm coffee)
2. 2/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, divided
3. 2 teaspoons dry yeast
4. 4 1/2 cups bread flour
5. 2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
6. 2/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted
7. 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder, optional (see above)
8. 2 teaspoons salt
9. 1 large egg, at room temperature
10. 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
11. 8 ounces good-quality dark chocolate, chopped into one-half-inch chunks

For egg glaze:

1. 1 large egg
2. 1 teaspoon water

• In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of the warm water with 1 teaspoon of the sugar.
• Sprinkle the yeast over the water and set the mixture aside for 10 minutes, until foamy. If the mixture doesn’t foam, the yeast may be inactive; try again with fresh yeast.
• In the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer, place the flour, remaining 2/3 cup of granulated sugar, light brown sugar, cocoa, espresso powder (if using) and salt.
• Using the paddle attachment, mix at low speed for 1 minute, until combined. If mixing by hand, use a whisk and combine thoroughly.
• Add the remaining 1 cup of warm water (or the 1/2 cup of warm water and 1 cup of warm coffee if not using espresso powder) and the egg to the yeast mixture. Add this to the flour mixture while continuing to mix at low speed.
• Increase the speed to medium and continue to beat the mixture for 2 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
• At low speed, beat in the softened butter 1 tablespoon at a time, until it is incorporated into the dough.
• Remove the paddle attachment and replace it with the dough hook.
• Knead the dough at low speed for 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium and knead for 2 minutes longer. (You also can knead the dough by hand. Just make sure the butter is well-softened.)
• Add the chocolate chunks and knead just until incorporated.
• Transfer the dough to a buttered bowl (the dough will be quite moist). Cover tightly with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and allow the dough to rise in a warm, draft-free place for 2 hours (or until almost doubled in bulk).
• After the dough has risen, punch it down and cover again with plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or up to 2 days.
• Butter two 8 1/2-inch-by 4 1/2-inch-by 2 1/2-inch loaf pans. On a lightly floured work surface, divide the chocolate dough in half. Divide each dough half into 6 equal pieces so that you have 12 pieces in all. With lightly floured hands, shape each piece into a smooth ball.
• Place 6 balls — 2-inch by 2-inch by 2-inch, at a diagonal — in each pan, pressing them lightly together if necessary. Cover the pans with a tea towel and allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400 degrees.
• For the egg glaze, whisk together the egg and water in a small bowl until blended.
• Using a pastry brush, brush the egg glaze over the tops of the loaves. Bake the loaves for 10 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 375 degrees and bake the bread for an additional 30 minutes.
• Cool the bread in the pans, set on a wire rack, for 15 minutes. Unmold the bread and cool the loaves on the rack completely. Makes 2 loaves.

Source: National Public Radio.

Chocolate Brie Panini

1. 12 slices chocolate bread
2. 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3. 12 ounces brie, thinly sliced
4. 6 teaspoons strawberry preserves

• Preheat panini grill or saute pan.
• Brush both sides of bread with oil.
• Grill slices in small batches until they begin to turn golden, 1 to 2 minutes for each side. Remove from grill or pan, and place 2 ounces of cheese and 1 teaspoon of strawberries between 2 slices of bread, repeating for 5 more sandwiches.
• Return sandwiches to grill or pan and cook 2 more minutes.
• Serve immediately.
• Makes 6 panini.

Source: Jeff Yankellow of Simply Bread, Phoenix.