COBBLED CHOCOLATE LOAF

A pull-apart bread made from two different doughs, each with a chocolate filling that oozes out as the loaf is served! It’s perfect for brunch with hot chocolate. Makes a large loaf

Sunflower oil, for greasing Fine semolina or polenta, for dusting

For the white dough

100ml (3½fl oz) whole milk 50g (1¾oz) unsalted butter Seeds from 6 cardamom pods, finely crushed 250g (9oz) strong white bread flour, plus extra 5g (¹/ 8oz) fine sea salt 30g (1oz) caster sugar Finely grated zest of 1 orange 1 x 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast 1 medium egg, at room temperature

For the chocolate dough

120ml (4fl oz) whole milk, plus extra 50g (1¾oz) unsalted butter ½tsp vanilla extract 250g (9oz) strong white bread flour, plus extra 15g (½oz) cocoa powder, sifted 5g (¹/ 8oz) fine sea salt 30g (1oz) caster sugar 1 x 7g sachet fastaction dried yeast

1 medium egg, at room temperature

To assemble

120g (4¼oz) bar dark chocolate (about 70% cocoa solids), broken into 24 even-sized chunks 120g (4¼oz) bar white chocolate (about 30% cocoa solids), broken into 24 even-sized chunks

For the glaze

40g (1½oz) caster sugar 40ml (1½fl oz) water 2 long strips pared orange peel 2 cardamom pods, lightly crushed Grease two large bowls and a 25cm (10in) round springform tin with sunflower oil, then sprinkle the tin with semolina or polenta. Set these aside and make the white dough. Place the milk, butter and cardamom in a small pan and warm gently until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat and set aside until lukewarm.

Put the flour, salt, sugar and orange zest into a clean bowl, or the bowl of a free-standing electric mixer, and combine with your hand, then mix in the yeast. Beat the egg into the milk mixture, then pour this into the bowl. Mix together by hand, or in the mixer with a dough hook on low speed, to make a soft but not sticky dough; if necessary work in a little more flour. Then either knead by hand on the worktop for 10 minutes or in the mixer with the dough hook on slow speed for about 5 minutes, until very smooth and stretchy. Transfer to one of the oiled bowls, cover with clingfilm and set aside to rise.

Meanwhile, make the chocolate dough: warm the milk and butter with the vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, salt and sugar, stir in the yeast and mix to a very soft dough with the milk mixture and egg. Set aside, uncovered, for 5 minutes. After this time, feel the dough and add milk or flour as needed to make a soft but sticky texture. Knead either by hand for 10 minutes or with the dough hook on slow speed for 5 minutes until stretchy, then transfer to the other oiled bowl. Cover and leave to rise, alongside the white dough, for 1 hour until doubled in size.

Punch down the white dough, then turn it out on to an unfloured worktop and knead into a ball. Weigh, then divide into 12. Roll one into a ball, then press it into an 8cm (3¼in) disc. Set 2 dark chocolate chunks in the centre. Gather up the edges like a dumpling to enclose the chocolate and pinch to seal, then roll into a ball. Repeat with the other pieces of white dough and the remaining dark chocolate, then divide the chocolate dough in the same way and fill with the white chocolate. Alternating the white and chocolate dough balls, arrange them seam side down in the tin so they are closely packed together. Cover with clingfilm and leave to rise for 50-60 minutes until doubled in size.

Near the end of this time, heat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6 and line a baking tray with parchment. Uncover the loaf and bake for 20 minutes until golden on top. Remove from the oven and place the lined baking tray, upside down, on top. Invert the whole lot, then unclip and remove the tin so the loaf is upside down on the tray. Return to the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes until the top (what was the base) is golden brown. Invert on to a wire rack and leave for 5 minutes.

For the glaze, place the sugar, water, orange peel and cardamom pods in a pan. Heat gently, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, then bring to the boil and simmer for 1 minute. Remove the cardamom pods and orange peel, then brush the glaze over the loaf. Leave until just warm, then transfer to a bread board. To serve, pull the balls apart and break open to

reveal the chocolate.