Chocolate Hazelnut Bread

After my failed experiments with my bread machine, I thought I'd attempt to make all the ruined breads the old fashioned way, just to make sure that it really was the bread machine's fault.

Here, you can see the delicious result!

Of course, this time, the white splotches are a dusting of powdered sugar. And the bread rose beautifully. And, because I mixed in the hazelnuts by hand, they are evenly spread throughout this chocolatey sweet bread.

I had to invent a recipe for this one, because bread machine recipes always require weird amounts and not enough yeast. And after having eaten a slice for breakfast, I can confidently say that my recipe tested very well.

Try it yourself!

Sarielle's Chocolate Hazelnut Explosion Bready Cake Goodness

1/2 c milk
1 c white sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter

Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until bubbles form at edges. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, salt and butter until dissolved. Set aside and allow to become lukewarm.

1/2 c warm water (105 to 115 degrees Farenheit)
1 packet or 2 1/4 tsp yeast

Sprinkle yeast over warm water in the bowl you will be using for mixing. Stir until dissolved. Add milk mixture.

4 eggs (beaten)
3 1/2 c all-purpose flour (sifted)
1/2 c baking cocoa

Add eggs, cocoa and 1 1/2 c flour to mixture. Stir until smooth. Add remaining flour and again, stir until smooth. Dough will be batter-like.

Cover with a damp towel and place in a warm spot, such as the oven with the light on, and allow to rise until bubbly (about an hour).

1 c toasted, skinned and chopped hazelnuts

If you are starting with whole hazelnuts, because you're cheap like me or you are lucky enough to have your own hazelnut tree, start by measuring out the hazelnuts into a baking pan. Toast in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 15 to 20 minutes. Skins should fall off with only a little encouragement. Put skinned nuts into a food processor and smash!

When dough is ready, stir with a spoon. Add hazelnuts and stir lightly.

Grease a tube pan or bundt pan. If using a bundt pan, be sure to grease every nook and cranny thoroughly, and then lightly flour it. I used butter, but I've read that vegetable oil painted on with a brush works very well.

Pour dough into pan, cover with a damp cloth and put it in that warm spot again for about another hour and a half, until double in bulk.

Preheat oven to 350F

When your dough has filled up its pan nicely, bake 45 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan completely on a wire rack.

Carefully remove from pan (you may need to pry gently with a rubber spatula if you used a fancy bundt pan like I did). Dust lightly with powdered sugar, if desired.

Stand back and admire your work. Send a photo to your grandmother.

Eat! Make sure to share, though. It's a lot of bread.