CHOCOLATE, CARDAMOM AND HAZELNUT LOAF

A handsome, great-tasting loaf made by twisting together two ropes of sweet soft dough filled with dark and white chocolate and hazelnuts.

Makes one large loaf For the dough

280g (10oz) strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting ½tsp fine sea salt 50g (1¾oz) caster sugar Seeds from 8 cardamom pods, finely ground 5g (¹/ 8oz) fast-action dried yeast (from a 7g sachet) 1 medium egg, at room temperature 125ml (4fl oz) whole milk, lukewarm 30g (1oz) unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

For the filling

45g (1½oz) dark chocolate (about 70% cocoa solids) 15g (½oz) white chocolate (about 30% cocoa solids) 30g (1oz) blanched hazelnuts 30g (1oz) unsalted butter, softened

For the egg glaze

1 medium egg yolk, mixed with 2tsp water

For the sweet glaze

70g (2½oz) caster sugar 60ml (2¼oz) water Put the flour, salt, sugar and ground cardamom into a large mixing bowl and mix together well with your hand. Sprinkle the yeast into the bowl and mix in. Make a well in the centre. Beat the egg into the lukewarm milk, then pour the mixture into the well. Using your hand, mix everything together to make a very soft dough – if there are dry crumbs or the dough feels stiff, work in lukewarm water 1tbsp at a time. Rub the worktop with about 10g (¼oz) of the soft butter so it is lightly greased, then turn out the dough on to it (the worktop is not dusted with flour at this stage). Knead thoroughly for about 10 minutes until it is smooth and pliable and feels slightly firmer. Cut the rest of the butter (20g/¾oz) into pieces, add to the dough and continue kneading for a couple of minutes until thoroughly combined and the dough is streak-free. Gather into a ball and put into a mixing bowl that has been lightly greased with butter. Cover tightly with clingfilm and leave to rise on the worktop for about 1 hour until doubled in size.

To make the filling, chop up the dark and white chocolate and put into a food processor. Add the hazelnuts and run the machine to chop fairly finely (or chop it all by hand). Set aside.

When the dough has risen, punch it down to deflate, then turn it out on to a lightly floured worktop. Lightly flour a rolling pin and roll out the dough to a 26cm x 35cm (10½in x 14in) rectangle. The dough should be lying horizontally, with the long sides top and bottom. Using a palette knife, spread the soft butter over the dough, then scatter the chocnut filling over in an even layer. Starting from the long edge nearest to you, roll up the dough (like a Swiss roll). When you reach the far edge, pinch the dough seam to seal. Turn the roll over so it is seam-side down, then slice it in half along its length. Turn the 2 pieces so the cut surfaces are

facing up. Pinch the pieces together at one end, then twist them evenly around each other (the twist shouldn’t be loose but don’t stretch the dough). Lift into a 900g (2lb) loaf tin, about 26cm x 12.5cm x 7.5cm (10½in x 4¾in x 3in), greased with butter and lined with a long strip of baking paper, tucking the ends underneath. Slip the tin into a large plastic bag and secure the ends, but leave air in the bag so the dough has room to rise. Leave on the worktop for 1 hour until doubled in size. Towards the end of the rising time, heat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. When the loaf is ready, uncover and brush the top with egg glaze. Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown and firm.

Near the end of the baking time make the sweet glaze. Put the sugar and water into a pan and heat gently, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and simmer for a minute to make a light syrup. Remove from the heat. Set the loaf, still in the tin, on a wire rack. Leave to cool for 2-3 minutes, then brush with the hot sugar syrup. Run a round-bladed knife around the inside of the tin to loosen the loaf, then lift it out on to the wire rack and peel off the lining paper. Brush the sides with the syrup. Leave until cold before slicing. Eat the same or the next day.