Chocolate Marble Bread ~ for The Daring Bakers

The Daring Bakers’ February 2012 host was – Lis! Lisa stepped in last minute and challenged us to create a quick bread we could call our own. She supplied us with a base recipe and shared some recipes she loves from various websites and encouraged us to build upon them and create new flavor profiles.

Quick Bread
Bread that is quick to make because it doesn't require kneading or rising time. That's because the leavener in such a bread is usually baking powder or baking soda, which, when combined with moisture, starts the rising process immediately. In the case of double-acting baking powder, oven heat causes a second burst of rising power. Eggs can also be used to leaven quick breads. This genre includes most biscuits, muffins, popovers and a wide variety of sweet and savory loaf breads.

The rules of the Challenge are:

No yeast

Can’t take more than 1.5 hours to prepare and bake through.

Only loaves or muffins/popovers

I opted to bake ChocolateMarble Bread from Joy of Baking. Since I made it at the last minute and as I was down with fever and cough, I was just not in a condition to think and twist the recipe to make it my own.... so I just adapted the recipe as it is and believe me it was really good..... we finished one loaf in two days!

Chocolate Marble Bread

(Source: Joy of Baking)

Preparation Time - 10 mints

Baking Time- 50-55 mints

Yield -1 loaf

Ingredients:

4 ounces (115 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup (120 ml) milk, divided

1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup (60 ml) sour cream or plain yogurt

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (170 grams) granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C) and place rack in the center of the oven. Butter and lightly flour a 9 by 5 x 3 inch (23 x 13 x 8 cm) loaf pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
• Melt the chocolate, along with 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the milk, in a stainless steel bowl that has been placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from heat and set aside.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder and salt.
• In a small bowl whisk the sour cream with the remaining 1/4 cup (60 ml) milk and the vanilla extract.
• In your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and sour cream/milk mixture, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Spoon half of the batter into a separate bowl. Add the melted chocolate mixture to one half of the batter and fold in.
• With two spoons, place spoonfuls of the two mixtures into the prepared loaf pan alternately (chocolate, white, chocolate, etc.). Run a wooden skewer or knife through the two batters to achieve a marbled effect. (Don't over mix or you won't have that wonderful marble affect.) Bake in preheated oven for about 50 - 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan. Cool completely.
• Makes 1 loaf.