Adding chocolate to yeast dough

Hi! I'm trying to figure out how to make a chocolate cinnamon roll in which the dough is chocolatey. I tried by subbing some cocoa powder in for the AP flour (and adding a bit of baking soda) but the results were rather dry and dense buns with only a subtle chocolate flavor. I'm curious as to whether I should try mixing in melted chocolate to the dough, for moisture and flavor? Is that a doomed idea?

Sarah Jampel
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11 Comments

AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames November 18, 2015
I'd like to make one small observation here. The separate tastes of a rich yeast dough + chocolate, together in one bite, is one of life's most exquisite pleasures. ;o)
 
Stephanie G.
Stephanie G. November 18, 2015
Curious as to your results...how did the cinnamon roll work out?
 
Jimmy H.
Jimmy H. November 17, 2015
Basically you want a chocolate brioche dough, it has a little cocoa, melted cooled chocolate, lots of butter and eggs.
 
Droplet
Droplet November 15, 2015
Clotilde Dusoulier wrote on the subject a few years ago, Sarah. Here is the link, hope it is of help : http://chocolateandzucchini.com/recipes/bread-brioche/chocolate-starter-bread-recipe/
 
Sarah J.
Sarah J. November 15, 2015
Thank you so much!
 
Stephanie G.
Stephanie G. November 15, 2015
The David Leibovitz recipes does incorporate the chocolate into the dough...I apologize if that wasn't clear. It's a chocolate yeast dough...not a babka or pain au chocolat.
 
Sarah J.
Sarah J. November 15, 2015
Yes, thank you!! I found his recipe for very helpful as a model. The buns are rising now! So I'll let you know how it goes once they're out of the oven. :)
 
Nancy
Nancy November 15, 2015
Yeast dough with chocolate
Oh yes, chocolate babka
Why reinvent the wheel
See two recipes here
https://food52.com/recipes/search?q=chocolate+babka
Or two from away (Tori Avey, smitten kitchen):
http://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/2015/05/chocolate-babka/
http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2014/10/better-chocolate-babka/
Lots of wonderful territory to explore...
 
Sarah J.
Sarah J. November 15, 2015
Yes, those all sound WONDERFUL! But I was hoping to truly incorporate the chocolate into the dough rather than creating two separate layers.
 
Nancy
Nancy November 15, 2015
OK, Sarah, I now get what you're wanting to make.
I can also see how the cocoa powder would make the dough dry (and maybe even impede the yeast action).
If I were to make a run at a chocolate dough, I would first make and raise the plain dough, then work in either lots of high-cacao cocoa powder and some additional fat (additional to whatever the recipe specified).
Another way to go is to make the plain dough, let it rise, then knead in a finely ground high quality bar chocolate (with or without additional fat...see how the dough feels), raise again and shape.
My model for this loaf would be brioche dough...rich, buttery, multifoliate, intermediate stints in refrigerator for long, slow rises..to give the chocolate a chance to incorporate and yet not dry out the finished product.
 
Stephanie G.
Stephanie G. November 15, 2015
David Leibovitz has a recipe for a chocolate yeast bread in which he uses chopped chocolate and cocoa powder. You might review his recipe for help. I know he uses butter and eggs. (I'm assuming you want a yeasted dough like a sweet bread.)
 
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