French Chocolate Coffee Cake

I have a Better Homes and Gardens Test Kitchen Favorites Cook book that I was looking through the other night trying to decide what I was going to make on my days off. I usually bake on one day off and clean the other. I was nearly through the book when I saw the picture of this coffee cake, of course they're picture was better than mine but, there it was in all it's glory! That's it !! That's what I'm going to make!  To Read More, Click On The Recipe Title


 I saw the swirls of chocolate through the cake, the crumb topping and I couldn't wait to make this. I've never made a coffee cake with yeast, I've made bread, cinnamon rolls, sticky buns....this can't be that different. And it really wasn't, like any other recipe the first time you make it you just have to go through the recipe in your head a couple times and understand what your doing. I used milk chocolate chips instead of semi sweet just because that's what I had on hand. I didn't put any nuts in this cause Sam doesn't like any nut but peanuts. My only suggestion with this would be, that when you have to put the melted chocolate on the dough after you roll it out, put the chocolate more in the center of the dough . Give yourself plenty of room on each side because as you roll this up, the melted chocolate moves. I had to put this in a warm oven to get it to rise the first time because my kitchen was a bit chilly. I will definetly make this again!


French Chocolate Coffee Cake
Better Homes and Gardens Test Kitchen Favorites
Adapted

• 4 to 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 pks active dry yeast
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup water
• 1/2 cup butter, cut up
• 1 - 5 ounce can evaporated milk (2/3 cup
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 cup milk chocolate pieces (6 ounces)
• 2 tbls sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup chpped walnuts or pecans (I didn't use these)

• In a large bowl stir together 1 1/2 cups flour and the yeast, set aside. In a medium saucepan heat and stir 3/4 cup sugar, the 2/3 cup water, 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/3 cup of the evaporated milk just until warm, (about 120 - 130 degrees on a thermometer) and the butter almost melts. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture, add the egg yolks. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed 30 seconds, scraping the sides of the bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.

• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough that is smooth and elastic (3 to 5 minutes.) I didn't quite use all the flour, there was probably a 1/4 cup or more left when I was done. Shape the dough into a ball, place in a greased bowl, turn once to grease the surface. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled. I turned my oven on to 250 degrees just til I could feel the oven getting warm , I let the door open alittle bit,until most of the heat was gone but the oven was still warm, then put the bowl on a cookie sheet in the oven and closed the door. It'll take about 2 hours to rise. Punch the dough down, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

• While the dough is resting, in a small saucepan combine the remaining evaporated milk,3/4 cup of the chocolated pieces, 2 tbls of sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Cook and stir over low heat until the chocolate is melted. Remove from heat, cool.

• Grease a 10 inch tube pan, set aside. I greased the pan quite a bit even though it was a non stick tube pan and had no problem getting it out. Roll the dough into a 18x10 inch rectangle. Spread the chocolate onto the dough making sure to leave about 2 inches on each side, the chocolate will move with the dough when you roll it up jelly roll style. Start from the long side and roll. Pinch the seam to seal, place seam side up in a prepared pan. Pinch ends together.

• In a small bowl combine the 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup sugar and the 1 tsp cinnamon. Using a pastry blender ( if you don't have one rub the flour mixture with the butter between your thumb and fingers) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in remaining chocolate pieces and nuts if your using them. Sprinkle over dough in pan. Cover, let rise in a warm place, (I put it back into the warm oven), until double, about 1 hour. Bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when lightly tapped. Cool ina pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan, cool 45 minutes. Serve warm.