Servings: Makes 2 loaves
Equipment: Stand Mixer with paddle attachment, 2 loaf pans and food processor to chop up chocolate
Ingredients
For Dough:
3/4 cup warm milk (105 -115 degrees)
1/2 cup sugar plus 2 Tablespoons
3 teaspoons active dry yeast (from two 1/4-oz packages)
3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 sticks (10 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into pieces and softened
For Egg Wash
1 large egg yolk
1 Tablespoon of heavy cream or whole milk
For Chocolate Filling
5 Tablespoon of unsalted butter, well softened
2 (4 oz) bars of fine quality bittersweet chocolate (no more than 60% coco), finely chopped
1/4 cup sugar
Directions
Stir warm milk and 2 Tablespoons of sugar in bowl of mixer
Sprinkle yeast over mixture and let stand until foamy-about 5 minutes. If yeast does not foam, discard and start over with new yeast
Add 1/2 cup of flour to yeast mixture and beat at medium speed until combined.
Add whole eggs, yolk, vanilla, salt and remaining sugar and beat until combined
Reduced speed to low and mix the remaining flour in about 1/2 cup at a time
Increase speed to medium, then beat in butter a few pieces at a time and continue to beat until dough is shiny and forms strands from paddle to bowl (about 4 minutes). Dough will be very soft and sticky
Scrape dough into a lightly oiled bowl and cover bowl with plastic wrap
Let dough rise in a draft free place at room temperature until it doubles in size, 1.5 to 2 hours
Assemble
Line each loaf pan with 2 pieces of parchment paper (1 lengthwise and 1 crosswise)
Punch down dough with a lightly oiled rubber spatula, then halve dough
Roll out 1 piece of dough on well floured surface into a 18" x 10" rectangle and arrange with a long side nearest you
Beat together yolk and cream
Spread 2 1/2 Tablespoons of softened butter on dough leaving 1/2 inch border all the way around. Brush some egg wash on the long border nearest you.
Sprinkle half the chocolate evenly over the buttered dough, then sprinkle with half the sugar
Starting with the long side furthest from you roll dough into a snug log, pinching firmly along egg washed seam to seal.
Bring ends together to form a ring, pinching to seal. Twist entire ring twice to form a double figure 8 and fit into one of the lined pans
Repeat above steps for 2nd loaf
Chill remaining egg wash to use later
Loosely cover pans with buttered plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until dough reaches top of pans about 1 to 2 hours
Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in middle
Brush top of dough with remaining egg wash
Bake until tops are deep golden brown and bottom sounds hollow when tapped - about 40 minutes
Transfer to rack to cool to room temperature