If you like sweet bread, especially sweet chocolate bread, this Sweet Russian Chocolate Braid is for you! It is soft and tender and filled with pastry cream.
I was given some beautiful books over Christmas on baking bread, and I just couldn’t wait to dive into them. Months later they were still waiting patiently on my coffee table. That is until I laid eyes of the Sweet Russian Chocolate Braid.
This month’s Bread Bakers is hosted by Shireen at Ruchik Randhap (Delicious Cooking). The theme is Cacao, cocoa or carob in any form. Well, I love chocolate as much as I do bread so this was one month I didn’t want to miss.
I always choose something that I haven’t made before. When I read the recipe and technique of the Sweet Russian Chocolate Braid in “The Best of Fine Cooking, Breads addition”, I wanted to give it a try.
It looked gorgeous and made my chocolate-loving heart beat a little faster. The dough was difficult to work with. It was very wet and sticky.
The recipe said this was normal. So while delicious, mine doesn’t exactly resemble the braid in the book, I’m o.k. with that though because I think it still turned out gorgeous!
Sweet Russian Chocolate Braid – #Breadbakers
Ingredients
Sweet Dough
- 7.6 oz unbleached all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups plus 3 Tbs. plus more for rolling
- 1 tsp instant yeast
- 3 tbsp water
- 1 small potato peeled, cooked and put through a ricer or sieve (yield 1/4 cup)
- 2 egg yolks large
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp cold unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Filling
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 inch piece vanilla bean
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour unbleached is o.k.
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 egg yolks large
Finish
- 1 egg beaten to brush dough prior to baking
Instructions
Pastry Cream
- In a medium saucepan, warm the milk over medium heat. Using a sharp knife, slice the vanilla bean vertically. Scrape out the seeds and add the pod and seeds to the milk. Cook until a skin forms. Remove the pan from the heat.
- In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, flour, and salt, then whisk in the egg yolks.
- Remove the pod from the milk mixture. In a thin stream, slowly whisk in the warm milk. Return this mixture back to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the mixture is extremely thick and gluey, about 5 minutes.
- Press a piece of plastic wrap down over the surface of the cream to keep a skin from forming. Let cool and then refrigerate until ready to use.
Sweet Dough
- In a small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons of flour with the yeast and then whisk in the water. Set it aside for 10 to 15 minutes or until it begins to get puffy.
- Fit a large capacity food processor with the metal blade. Put in the remaining flour, yeast mixture, potato, egg yolks, vanilla and sour cream.
- Process the ingredients for about 1 minute. Remove the dough from the working bowl and knead it by hand on a clean countertop for 1 minute. Return it to the food processor, running it for another minute and then kneading it on the counter for 30 seconds. Repeat this step until the dough is very smooth about 2 to 3 times.
- Return the dough to the processor. Add the sugar and salt, kneading again in the processor and then on the counter until the sugar is dissolved. The dough will soften considerably and become very sticky.
- Return the dough to the processor and add the butter process until well incorporated and then kneading it for another minute on the counter. The dough will cling to the sides of the processor and feel warm to touch at this point. Kneading on the counter should cool it and help firm it up.
- Transfer the dough to a large bowl that has been lightly oiled. Cover and allow the dough to rise until approximately 3 to 4 times its volume, approximately 3 hours.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or butter it. Roll the dough on a floured surface into a rectangle measuring 13×16 inches and about 1/8 inch thick. Stir the chilled pastry cream and then spread it over the dough in a thin layer. Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the dough. Roll long edge into a cylinder and pinch to seal.
- Put the cylinder on the baking sheet. Using a sharp knife cut the cylinder down the middle lengthwise. Arrange the strips so the filling is facing up and they are lined up side by side. Working from the center, wrap them around each other to form a twist. Cover the dough and let rise until it’s large and puffy, and remains indented when lightly pressed with your fingertip, about 45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Brush the dough with a beaten egg. Bake in the center of the oven until golden brown, approximately 35 minutes, turning the pan halfway through baking.
- Cool on a rack for 1 hour before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
For more delicious bread, check out the recipes for other Bread Baker participants.
Breads with Cocoa, Cacao or Carob in any form
- Chocolate & Cherry Swirl Breads from The Bread She Bakes
- Chocolate and Vanilla Brioche from Kidsandchic
- Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Chocolate Filled Bundt Bread from Food Lust People Love
- Chocolate Hazelnut Banana Bread from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Quick Bread from Magnolia Days
- Croatian Povitica – Chocolate Walnut Swirl Bread from Herbivore Cucina
- Dark Chocolate Cherry Pocket Bread from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Double Chocolate Espresso Scones from Wholistic Woman
- Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread from Sizzling Tastebuds
- Egg Free 45 Minutes Chocolate Buns from Gayathri’s Cook Spot
- Eggless Chocolate Babka from I Camp in my Kitchen
- Four-Chocolate Sour Cream Quickbread from What Smells So Good?
- Leopard Print Bread from Spiceroots
- Pain Au Chocolat (Chocolate filled Croissants) from G’Gina’s Kitchenette
- Sourdough Cacao Sweet Bread from The Schizo Chef
- Sweet Russian Chocolate Braid from Hostess At Heart
- Two Chocolates Greek Yogurt Banana Bread from La cocina de Aisha
#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.
We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.
If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send Stacy an email with your blog URL to [email protected].
Here are a couple more of my favorite Bread Bakers posts!
Hungarian Egg Twist Bread
<
p style=”text-align: center;”>Cherry Almond Kugelhopf Bread Recipe
Spiced Apple Star Bread Recipe
Pin it now!
IkeepHealthy says
I really like your recipe “RUSSIAN CHOCOLATE BRAID” here. Healpful information for me. PS: Your pictures are looks so nice.
Julie Menghini says
Thank you so much! I appreciate you stopping by and your kind comments.
jane @ littlesugarsnaps says
Oh Julie, i too have yet to actually make something from a cookbook I was desperate to get at Christmas. I keep drooling over the picutres and identifying which ones I want to try first but somehow life creeps up on my best laid plans and another week passes by. This Russian bread sounds very intriguing – potato? In sweet chocolate bread? Just the kind of recipe that is sure to deliver a positive surprise. Your loaf looks super – I’ve yet to attempt a successful bread braid 🙂
Julie Menghini says
Thank you Jane! This bread was a little finicky to work with. The second time around will be much easier. It was a very wet dough so instead of adding more flour, I just handled it the best that I could. It was so pretty and delicious in the end though.
Mireille says
love the shape and the porous texture – what an absolutely GORGEOUS loaf
Julie Menghini says
Thank you so much Mireille! As much as I tried failing this bread, it was resilient enough to actually turn out! Have a wonderful day!
sneha datar says
Gorgeous bread, love the chocolate chips peeping out from the bread.
Julie Menghini says
Thank you Sneha!
sneha datar says
A beautiful bread, love the chocolate chips peeping out from the bread.
Pavani says
That is a beautiful rustic looking braided bread. Love how airy and delicious it looks.
Julie Menghini says
Thank you Pavani! ❤️
Mayuri Patel says
a beautiful braid. Just the right amount of chocolate and a treat. Hoping to try out this bread soon.
Julie Menghini says
Thank you so much Mayuri!
Dini @ The Flavor Bender says
This looks so beautiful Julie!! I wish I had a slice right about now! There’s nothing more beautiful than a perfect slice of bread and this is even better with chocolate! 😀 I absolutely love that braid!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you Dini! This was one of those breads that shouldn’t have even turned out but did. I may try it in the mixer instead of a food processor next time. Have a nice day sweet girl.
Ansh says
I absolutely adore braided breads. Yours looks like a jewel ! stunning!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you Ansh!
CakePants says
Wow, this bread is making my mouth water! It looks so fluffy and soft. And I know what you mean about time going so quickly…sometimes at night when I think back over my day, it’s hard to understand where all the time went!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you! Sometimes I end up with a bigger to do list at the end of the day than when it began!
SweetJ says
This is a beautiful loaf and looks delicious, to boot! I have such a hard time making a bread that doesn’t look like a half-melted doorstop. Nice work!
Julie Menghini says
Oh my Sweet J! I’d sure like to know why your bread isn’t behaving! I’d be glad to help if you have any questions!
Anita Barnett says
I’ve attempted to make this bread..Now I’m at the step to cover the dough and let it rise..How long does it take to rise before baking? It doesn’t seem to be rising
Julie Menghini says
How did your bread turn out Anita? I found that it took up to 4 hours to rise and I’ve updated the recipe to indicate this.
Anita. says
It turned out great. My 12 year old daughter and I was making it together but she quit in me, guess there was too many steps. It did take awhile to prep. I ended up leaving the dough in the refrigerator and baked it the next day but it worked out. I will search for a recipe that has not so many steps for her next time. Thank you for the recipe
Julie Menghini says
Thank you for letting me know Anita. It is a daunting recipe for anyone that doesn’t like waiting for the results which are most people! I think it’s wonderful that you are involving her in the kitchen. Both of my children were and are now very proficient in the kitchen.
Natascha says
So beautiful!!!!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you Natascha!
apsara says
Julie, you are truly a professional bread baker, and this creation of yours is just stunning. Chocolate in a sweet braided breaded? Yes, please! I’m going to smuggle away a few slices before any one notices 🙂
Julie Menghini says
LOL! I would love to share. Someone suggested using this brad in french toast. Wish I still had a few slices to give that a try!
illcookyouwash says
This looks great, Julie! And I love and totally respect the sheer amount of chocolate in this bread :). Happy FF!
Julie Menghini says
If I had to have one vice it would be chocolate. Thank goodness that isn’t the case because I have many lol!
Anna says
This looks wonderful, Julie! What a beautiful and delicious bread!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you Anna! Have a wonderful weekend!