Marbled Asian Bread / Chocolate Marble Asian Bread (Roux Method) ~ Home Baker's Challenge # 4

This month's Home Baker's Challenge hosted by Manjula of Desi Fiesta and she picked four different breads for this Month's Home Bakers Challenge. Namely, Rainbow Swirl Bread, Strawberry chocolate stuffed Monkey Bread, Anadama Bread & Marbled Asian Bread. Out of the four i tried this "Chocolate Marble Asian Bread" using Water Roux Method. This is a simple and easy to make bread and you don't need any bread machine. This bread is made using Water Roux or Tangzhong Method, this is nothing but a mixture of water and bread flour is heated and stirred just until it forms a paste. This paste act as a dough enhancer and helps the bread to get right texture and improves the moisture in the final baked loaf. I have already tried a bread recipe using this Tangzhong method, Hokkaido Milk Bread. Both the breads were so soft, milky flavor and delicious. But this Marbled bread tasted slight bitter with the chocolate part but if its served with any spread like Jam, Nutella it tastes great. The bread remains soft and fresh even the second day. My kids loved it a lot.  Thanks Manjula for this wonderful challenge, except the braids shape and marble pattern the bread texture and taste was awesome. I really liked it. Proper Braids needs practice and patience i think, will try it next time with more patience and interest ;) Now off to the recipe....

Recipe Source : simple recipes
yields one 9" loaf
Ingredients
For Water Roux

1. Bread Flour     1/3 cup ( i used all purpose flour)
2. Water     1 cup

Other Ingredients

1. Bread flour/All purpose flour      2 and 1/2 cups
2. Sugar   2 Tbsp
3. Salt      1 tsp
4. Yeast     1 and 1/2 tsp
5. Milk powder    3 tbsp 
6. Water   as needed
7. Unsweetened cocoa powder    2 tbsp
8. Butter, softened   2 Tbsp

Method

To prepare the roux

• In a small pan, mix flour and water without any lumps and cook it in low heat stirring with wooden spoon to prevent from burning. 
• When the mixture starts to thicken and ripples are formed, turn off the heat.
• Set it aside to cool. You can cover it with cling wrap to prevent the top from drying. You can make this ahead store it in refrigerator for up to 2 days and use it in recipe.

Bread Dough

• In a mixing bowl combine all purpose flour, sugar, salt, milk powder and yeast. To this add the roux mix well and using water knead it well to a smooth dough. Then add Butter(cut into small cubes) and knead till the butter is fully incorporated into the dough.

• Divide the dough into 1/3 & 2/3 portions approximately. Cover the smaller portion and set it aside.
• Knead the larger portion of the dough until it is smooth and elastic. Cover it and set it aside.

• Now to the smaller portion of the dough add the cocoa powder and water as needed and knead until it is incorporated well and the dough is smooth and elastic. Cover and set this aside too.
• Let both the dough proof until it is double its size (for about 2 hours).

• Then deflate the dough and knead them.
• Flatten the white dough to about 12x6 inches rectangle and chocolate dough to about 6x9 inches. 

• Layer Chocolate layer in between the while dough layers. Flatten them and cut them into 2 equal portions, place one on top of the other and flatten them again. Repeat the process for couple of more times.
• Cut the flattened dough into 3 equal strips. Gently roll each of them and place them together and braid them. Place this braided bread in loaf pan.Cover it and let them rise till it is almost tripled its original size.

• Pre-heat the oven to 350 F and bake it for about 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush it with melted butter. Remove from the loaf pan, let it cool completely. Then slice and serve.

Linking this to the Home bakers Challenge @ Desi Fiesta.