Chocolate Snowflake Bread
This show-stopping tear and share chocolate filled milk bread is great fun to make! Make one large one for a big family get together or two medium ones, perfect for an eat one, gift one scenario.
You might think the first step to making the dough is absolutely bonkers but making a ‘yudane’ bread improver is really worth it (and it is not much extra work or dishes) - it helps achieve a soft, fluffy texture and makes the baked bread keep fresher for longer (I have tested this theory extensively). You can use plain/cake/all-purpose flour in a pinch, but high grade/bread flour gives a slightly fluffier result. Prepare and bake this bread a day ahead of serving it or follow one of the suggested timelines at the end of the recipe if you are after a freshly baked option.
Enough for one large snowflake shaped bread or 2 medium snowflake breads - 18 portions
BREAD IMPROVER
high grade/bread flour, 50g (80ml or 1/3 cup)
boiling water, 50g (50ml - just under 1/4 cup)
MAIN DOUGH INGREDIENTS
unsalted butter, 50g
milk (whole/full fat), 250g (250ml or 1 cup)
instant dry yeast, 8g (10ml or 2 teaspoons)
egg, 1
high grade/bread flour, 450g (750ml or 3 cups)
caster sugar, 100g (125ml or 1/2 cup)
fine salt, 2.5ml (½ teaspoon)
CHOCOLATE FILLING
dark chocolate (50% - 70%), 125g
unsalted butter, 100g
icing sugar, 20g (30ml or 2 tablespoons)
cocoa powder, 15g (30ml or 2 tablespoons)
EGG WASH
egg, 1
View the dough making clip here:
Alana Smith (@alanasmithsweetphotography) • Instagram photos and videos
Start by making the bread improver by placing the first measurement of flour (50g or 1/3 cup) in a medium heatproof bowl then add the boiling water - stir using a spoon to combine (it will be a stiff dough mixture). Set aside until needed.
For the main dough, place the butter (roughly chopped, to make it melt faster) and milk in a medium heatproof bowl (or saucepan) and heat in the microwave (or on the stove) until the butter has melted and the mixture feels warm. You want this mixture warm but not hot (or it will kill the yeast - if it feels really hot, leave it for a bit to cool to a warm temperature - around 30 - 40°C if you have a thermometer).
Place the yeast in a large mixing bowl (I use a free-standing mixer for ease, but it is not essential if you don’t mind getting your hands dirty and have strong arms for kneading).
Add the lukewarm butter and milk mixture followed by the egg then stir a little with a spoon or whisk.
Add the bread improver.
Add the flour, caster sugar and salt on top.
Mix together using a free-standing electric mixer fitted with a dough hook (on a slow speed, setting 2 using a KitchenAid mixer) or by hand for about 10 - 15 minutes until the mixture comes together in a sticky dough.
Do not be tempted to add extra flour even if the dough feels really sticky at first (otherwise the bread will be dry once baked).
Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and knead the dough a little by hand for a minute or two.
Once the dough feels elastic (and a bit less sticky), form it into a ball and place it back into the mixing bowl. Cover with a clean tea towel.
You can check whether the dough is elastic enough by doing the ‘windowpane test’ by taking a small portion of dough and stretch it into a square with your fingers. The dough should stick together and appear almost transparent, like a window. If the dough breaks very quickly, the gluten strands are too weak and more kneading is needed.
Leave the dough to prove at room temperature (or in a warmish spot) until double in size (it takes about 3 hours depending on the weather).
In spring and summer, I leave the dough on my kitchen bench wrapped in a blanket (in my grandmother’s bread blanket, but a large tea towel works well too). When it is cold in autumn and winter, I look for a sunny spot in the house or I place the bowl containing the dough in the oven that has been slightly warmed then turned off.
Once the dough has doubled in size, prepare the chocolate filling by melting the chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl in the microwave (short bursts, stirring in-between) or on a bain-marie on the stove. Once all the chocolate and butter has melted, add the icing sugar and cocoa powder (sieved) then mix until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
View the assembly clip here:
Alana Smith (@alanasmithsweetphotography) • Instagram photos and videos
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 4 equal pieces (if you are making one large snowflake) or into 8 equal pieces (if you are making 2 medium snowflake breads).
Roll the pieces of dough out into thin circles (to a thickness of about 3 - 5 mm).
Place the first circle on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
Spread the chocolate filling over the first circle (leaving a slight border).
Place a second rolled out dough circle on top.
Spread the second dough circle with the chocolate filling then place a third rolled out dough piece on top.
Repeat spreading the dough with the chocolate filling then place the fourth (final) dough circle on top (repeat these steps using the remaining four dough pieces if you are making two medium breads).
You should end up with 3 layers of chocolate filling between four layers of dough.
In the center of the layered dough, mark a round shape (using a cookie cutter or round glass or bowl to make a slight indentation).
Using a sharp knife or a dough cutter, quarter the layered dough (leaving the central round untouched).
Divide each quarter in half.
Divide each piece again (you should end up with 16 pieces).
Take two adjacent pieces of dough and twist them 3 times outwards in the opposite direction.
Firmly pinch the ends together.
Repeat using all the dough strips.
Leave the snowflake on the tray in a warmish spot to prove for approximately 1 hour (or place in the fridge - see TIMELINES below).
When the snowflake dough has proved, preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan).
Once proved (the dough should look puffed up, almost the size you envisioned it once baked), brush the top of the proved dough with egg wash (whisk the egg in a small bowl using a fork) then bake until golden brown (about 15 minutes).
Once baked, remove the bread from the oven and leave to cool slightly before dusting with a little icing sugar.
Enjoy freshly baked or warmed slightly in the oven or microwave for a couple of days afterwards.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature. Can be frozen for up to three months.
TIMELINES - three different timelines to help you achieved a freshly baked show-stopper:
Ready mid-afternoon (baking the bread the same day as when you made the dough):
Prepare the dough around mid-morning
Leave the dough to rest/prove for about 3 hours (in a warmish spot)
Roll out, fill, cut and place the dough on a baking tray
Rest/prove the dough snowflake for about 1 hour (in a warmish spot)
Preheat the oven
Bake for about 15 minutes
Enjoy warm out of the oven around mid-afternoon
Ready early morning (baking the bread the day after you have made the dough):
Prepare the dough around mid-morning to midday
Leave the dough to rest/prove for about 3 hours (in a warmish spot)
Roll out, fill, cut and place the dough on a baking tray (around late mid to afternoon)
Place the tray in the fridge until just before you go to bed late at night
Remove the tray from the fridge and rest/prove at room temperature overnight (from around 10pm)
Early morning, preheat the oven (around 7am)
Bake for about 15 minutes
Enjoy fresh out of the oven for breakfast
Ready mid-morning (baking the bread the day after you have made the dough):
Prepare the dough late-afternoon (around 5pm)
Leave the dough to rest/prove for about 3 hours (in a warmish spot)
Roll out, fill, cut and place the dough on a baking tray (do this in the evening around 9pm)
Place the tray in the fridge to rest/prove overnight
The next morning (around 8am) remove the tray from the fridge (to allow the dough to return to room temperature - this takes about 20 minutes)
Preheat the oven
Bake for about 15 minutes
Enjoy warm out of the oven for brunch
