Chocolate orange swirl bread

• Preparation time
• 1-2 hours
• Cooking time
• 30 mins to 1 hour
• Serves
• Makes 1 sweet loaf

Chocolate and orange work so well together and this sweet bread is no exception, For this recipe you will need a freestanding mixer with a dough hook, a food thermometer, a food processor and a 30x20x6cm/12x8x2½in baking tray.

Ingredients

For the dough

• 120g/4oz unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
• 150g/5½oz caster sugar
• 1½ oranges, finely grated zest only
• 4 green cardamom pods, seeds only, ground
• 1½ tsp salt flakes, ground
• 330ml/11fl oz full-fat milk, at room temperature
• 90g/3¼oz 0% Greek strained yoghurt
• 700g/1lb 9oz strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
• 12g/⅓oz fast-action yeast

For the filling

• 115g/4oz dark chocolate (80% cocoa solids), roughly chopped
• 75g/2½oz ground almonds
• 75g/2½oz flaked almonds
• ¾ tsp cocoa powder
• ⅔ bird’s-eye chilli, finely chopped and seeds removed
• ¾ tsp ground ginger
• ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
• large pinch freshly grated nutmeg

To finish

• 1 free-range egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tbsp cacao nibs

Method

1. For the dough, in the bowl of a freestanding mixer cream the butter, sugar, orange zest, cardamom and salt until pale and fluffy.
2. Mix the milk and yoghurt together, then warm until it reaches body temperature or 37C if using a food thermometer. In a separate bowl mix the flour with the yeast. Slowly mix the milk mixture into the butter mixture. If it curdles, add a little of the flour mixture, then go back to adding the milk.
3. Change the attachment on the mixer to a dough hook, then tip the flour on top of the wet ingredients and knead on a low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and knead for 10 minutes.
4. Transfer the dough to a large greased bowl and cover with cling film. Leave to prove in a warm place for 45 minutes.
5. For the filling, in a food processor combine the chocolate, both kinds of almonds, cocoa powder, chilli and spices. Pulse until it forms the consistency of breadcrumbs.
6. Grease a 30x20x6cm/12x8x2½in baking tray and line with greased baking parchment.
7. Flour the work surface and tip the dough out onto it away a third of the dough and set aside. Stretch the remaining dough into a rectangle approximately 40x20cm/16x8in.
8. Cover the dough with two-thirds of the filling mixture leaving a 1cm/½in gap at the long edge closest to you. Tightly roll up the dough starting with the long edge which is farthest away from you. Use the 1cm/½in strip (that is not covered with filling) to seal the join. The roll into twelve 3cm/1¼in-thick slices and place on the prepared tray.
9. Stretch out the remaining dough into a 10x30cm/4x12in rectangle. Cover with the remaining filling, leaving a 1cm/½in gap at the long edge closest to you into six 4cm/1½in thick slices and use them to fill the gaps between the larger rolls. Place in a warm place to prove for a further 20 minutes.
10. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
11. To finish brush the top of the buns with beaten egg and sprinkle with cocoa nibs. Bake in the middle of the oven for 30-40 minutes.
12. Remove from the baking tray and set aside to cool on a wire rack.