Sour Cherry Chocolate Bread

Chocolate Cherry Bread Tall Blonde Cookbook Recipe

Here is a cheerful bread recipe that mixes a simple savory dough with that classic combination of cherries and semi-sweet chocolate chips. This recipe comes from Master Bread Baker Paul Hollywood.  It is his recipe that TallBlonde has adapted the measurements to Imperial instead of metric.  This makes two medium loaves, one for you and one to wrap and gift to a friend during the holiday season.. Serves 8.

2 1/4 cups bread flour (not all-purpose flour) plus a little extra for dusting
1 tea. salt
1 oz. olive oil
1/2 oz, powdered yeast (or two .25 oz. packets)
1 1/4 cups warm water
6 oz, canned sour cherries, well drained and pat dried
5 oz. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Put the flour in a large mixing bowl with the salt, olive oil and yeast and quickly stir together.  Do not sprinkle yeast directly over the salt. Slowly add warm water and mix by hand until the dough is brought together and pliable.

Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 4 to 7 minutes until dough ball is smooth. Put the dough ball back in the mixing bowl, cover with a dish towel and let rise in a warm corner of the room for 1 hour.

Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Pat cherries dry several times on paper towels before using. Work the chocolate chips into the dough evenly and then work in the cherries without crushing them too much. If the dough becomes too elastic to work in the cherries, let it rest for 10 minutes and try again. You may need  to sprinkle a bit of flour if dough is too wet.

Cut the dough ball in half then shape into two round loaves. Loaf should be about 2-inches high. Place on the parchment lined baking sheet, dust with flour and score diagonal lines across the top to form diamond shapes.  Rest loaves for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400-degrees and bake for 20-25 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Slice across or cut into wedges and serve with a smear of softened butter.

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