Chocolate Bread

The name Chocolate Bread is a misnomer as this is really a very rich chocolate pound cake. It is probably called a bread as it resembles a dark rye bread.

The bittersweet coming from the Dutch processed cocoa powder and a good brushing of Kahlua syrup makes this pound cake so deliciously aromatic. (Recipe taken from The Cake Bible by Rose Levy Berandaum)

CHOCOLATE BREAD
Ingredients:
23g Dutch processed cocoa powder
44g boiling water
6g vanilla
150g eggs (without shell)
125g cake flour
175g sugar
3.7g baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
184g unsalted butter (room temperature)

Method:
1) Mix cocoa powder with the boiling water till smooth.
2) Let mixture cool and stir in the eggs and vanilla.
3) Sift cake flour, baking powder and salt together. Add the sugar to the dry ingredients and stir well to distribute the sugar.
4) Put the flour into a medium sized mixing bowl, add half the cocoa mixture and the butter. Mix well with the paddle attachment for 1 minute and scrap down the sides.
5) Gradually add in the balance chocolate mixture in two batches, beating well after each addition.
6) Pour mixture into a greased and floured loaf pan (8" x 4") and bake at 175degF for 50 to 60 minutes or till a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
(cover loosely with a buttered foil after 25 minutes to prevent overbrowning.
7) Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out to cool further.

Kahlua Syrup (Optional - for brushing to add extra moistness)
Boil 1/4 cup water with 2 tbsp sugar till rolling boil. Cool and add 1-2 tbsp Kahlua
Brush onto the top of the cake (still in the pan) immediately on removal from the oven. After 10 minutes, turn out the cake and brush the sides with more syrup and leave to cool