Chocolate Brioche Loaf | With Chocolate Swirl

Rich, buttery brioche dough filled with smooth chocolate swirls, baked into a soft, tender loaf with a light crumb and striking marbled interior.

Course Dessert

Cuisine European

Keyword chocolate brioche bread

Prep Time 30

Servings 8-inch loafs

Add the flour (480g), yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons), sugar (82g), salt (1/2 teaspoon), 2 eggs, and water (180ml) to a bowl of a stand mixer. Mix using the paddle attachment until a shaggy mass is formed.
Replace with the dough hook and mix for 3 minutes on medium speed.
Add the butter (113 g) one piece at a time, waiting about 15 seconds between each addition.
Mix for 10-15 minutes until the bowl is clean, the dough is smooth, and does not tear easily when gently stretched.
Spray the dough with oil, cover it with plastic wrap, and let sit for 2-3 hours, until it doubles in size. Alternatively, you can also refrigerate overnight

Place the butter (170g), powdered sugar (90g), and cocoa powder (45g) in a large bowl and mix until smooth.

Grease two 8 or 9 -inch pans and line them with parchment paper. You can also use a 9-inch tube pan with a removable tray.
Punch the dough to release air and divide it into two equal parts.
Roll the first part over a floured working surface to a 12-inch length rectangle, with the width double the size of your pan (12x16 if your pan is 8-inch)
Spread the filling leaving an empty one-inch band at the center and 1.5-inch from the bottom of the rectangle.
Roll the dough from the top end, then move the ends of the log towards each other, in a U shape.
Gently coil the two "legs" around each other, lift, and place in your pan. Place in a warm spot and let rest for 2-3 hours.
Bake for 35-40 minutes at 350F (180C) until the inner temperature is 190-200F.
Remove from the oven, let cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then invert over to a wire rack.

Add t teaspoons of orange zest to the dough (step 1) for fresh citrus flavor.
Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg to the filling if you enjoy spices.
Place the dough to rest in a warm place.
If using active yeast: use 2 3/4 tablespoons (15g), mix the yeast with 1/4 cup of the water plus one teaspoon of sugar, and let sit for 15 minutes. Continue with the recipe, step 1.
If using Cake yeast: use three tablespoons (20g), mix with 1/4 cup of water and a teaspoon of sugar, and sit for 15 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and follow the recipe.
Store at room temperature for up to 3 days, covered, or wrap with plastic wrap, place in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 4 weeks.