Yammy... Chocolate Coffee Cake...Wanna try?

Yeasted Chocolate Coffee Cake

Posted on Friday, 18th February 2011 by Grace

This week has been an especially difficult week and I wanted to bake something extra special. I thought I was entitled to indulge a little and I decided to make Yeasted Chocolate Coffee Cake.

When I think of comfort food, chocolate, homemade bread and cake are on the top of my list. Plus the aroma of homemade yeast bread baking in the oven is intoxicating and always brings me back to a happy place. Wonderful memories from my childhood always come rushing back.

Unfortunately homemade bread and happy memories wasn’t going to “cure what ailed me” (really bad week) but adding a little chocolate (Chocolate makes you happy, right? Plus dark chocolate in moderation is good for you) could do the trick!

Baking also helps me to relax. I turn on the music (a little Springsteen always makes me happy) and I focus all my attention to the task at hand and even if it’s only for a little while I am able to push my worries aside. It’s amazing how a clear head can make you look at things differently and help you to remember all the many blessings in your life.

As I am writing and sharing with you today, I realize I could’ve probably baked anything. I needed a little “me” time to clear the cobwebs and it helped me to put things into perspective.

It’s just an added bonus that I chose to combine three of my favourite comfort foods and bake this amazing Yeasted Chocolate Coffee Cake.

I’ll leave you with this thought, a steaming hot mug of freshly brewed coffee, a slice of warm, freshly baked, Yeasted Chocolate Coffee Cake and “The River” blaring in the background, this will definitely “cure what ails you!”

Yeasted Chocolate Coffee Cake

(From Martha Stewart Living, March 2011 Edition)

• Coffee Cake
• Filling
• Crumb Topping

Makes 1 – 5-inch X 10-inch (12.7-cm X 25.4-cm) cake

For Coffee Cake

• 2¼ teaspoons (one ¼-ounce or one 8 gram envelope) active dry yeast
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (total 85 g) plus a pinch of granulated sugar
• ¾ cup (6 ounces) warm milk, 110° F (43° C)
• 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
• 3 cups (375 grams) plain (all-purpose) flour
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 stick (113.4 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for bowl, pan and non-stick baking paper
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon heavy cream (35%), for egg wash

1. In a medium-sized bowl, sprinkle the yeast and a pinch of granulated sugar over the warm milk. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
2. Whisk together the remaining ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (85 g) granulated sugar, the whole egg and the egg yolk. Whisk into yeast mixture.
3. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, combine the flour and salt. Add the egg mixture and beat on low speed until almost fully incorporated, about 30 seconds.
4. Switch to the dough hook attachment. Add the butter and beat until smooth, soft, and slightly sticky, about 10 minutes.
5. Butter a large bowl.
6. Lightly flour a clean work surface. Turn out dough onto floured surface; knead a few times until smooth. Place in the buttered bowl, turn to coat, and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand in a warm place until doubled in volume, 1 to 1½ hours.

For Filling

• 8 ounces (200 g or 1¼ cups) bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• ½ cup (112.5 g) granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into small pieces

1. In a small-sized bowl, combine the chocolate, granulated sugar, and cinnamon.
2. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or rub in with your fingers until combined.
3. Punch down dough. Transfer to a clean, lightly floured work surface. Let stand for 5 minutes.
4. Roll out the dough to an 18-inch (46-cm) square (about 1/8-inch thick or .32-cm thick).
5. Brush the edges of the dough square with egg wash. Spread filling over dough, reserving ½ cup (4 ounces) and leaving a 1-inch (2.54-cm) border.
6. Tightly roll dough like a jellyroll. Pinch seam to seal, and fold in half to bring ends together to form a U. Twist two or three times to “braid”.
7. Butter a 5-by-10-inch (12.7-by-25.4-cm) loaf pan. Line with non-stick baking paper, leaving 1-inch (2.54-cm) overhangs and then butter non-stick baking paper.
8. Transfer dough to loaf pan and brush top with egg wash.

For Crumb Topping

• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (total 47 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• ¼ cup (31.25 g) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1. In a small-sized bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar, flour, and butter.
2. Sprinkle crumb topping and reserved ½-cup (4 ounces) filling over cake.
3. Preheat oven to 350° F (180° C). Drape plastic wrap over dough. Let stand in a warm place until raised by half, 20 to 30 minutes.
4. Remove plastic wrap, and bake, rotating loaf pan halfway through baking, until golden, about 55 minutes.
5. Transfer loaf pan to a wire rack. Let cake cool.
6. Remove cake from loaf pan.
7. Enjoy!

SOURCE: http://gracessweetlife.com/2011/02/yeasted-chocolate-coffee-cake/