I read the recipe for the cocoa loaf on Instagram, on Marco Rufini’s site — a cook, influencer and creator with a typically Roman character.
I was immediately struck by his way of explaining recipes: direct, clear and very engaging, with that spontaneous and friendly approach that makes everything easier and really encourages you to get your hands in the dough. It’s one of those recipes that makes you want to bake it as soon as you read it.
I love making homemade sweet leavened breads, especially soft and fragrant ones like this cocoa loaf with dark chocolate and chocolate chips.
It’s a simple but super indulgent recipe, perfect for breakfast, afternoon snack or to enjoy sliced. On the blog you’ll find many other sweet leavened desserts and chocolate recipes, ideal for those who love intense flavors and slow, traditional preparations.
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I also have a free WhatsApp channel with one sweet and one savory recipe a day: click and subscribe → https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaHbGIn9cDDig7Cw2x0F
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👉 Note about the recipe
This is the original recipe, but I made a half batch because there are two of us and, let’s be honest, we eat well 😅. This avoids waste and the loaf stays fresh — and I must say with a smear of jam or butter and sugar it’s absolutely delicious!
👉 Note on sweetness
With half the recipe I used 20 g of sugar, which is really too little. The loaf is very soft, but the sugar is hardly noticeable: you mainly taste cocoa and chocolate. If you eat it on its own it’s barely sweet, while it’s perfect with jam or honey. If you want a more balanced sweetness, start directly with 35 g of sugar; in my opinion that’s the right amount.
IF YOU WANT TO GLAZE IT RIGHT AFTER IT COMES OUT OF THE OVEN, HERE ARE THE AMOUNTS:
✨ Light syrup to glaze
Put in a small saucepan:
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp sugar
Bring to a gentle boil and simmer for 1 minute, just long enough for the sugar to dissolve completely.
Turn off the heat and let cool slightly.
Brush the loaf right after taking it out of the oven, while still hot, with a very thin layer.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Rest time: 2 Hours 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking time: 35 Minutes
- Portions: 10 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 4 cups Type 0 (soft wheat) flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 0.4 oz fresh baker's yeast
- 3.5 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp sugar (for me it should be increased)
- 1.8 oz dark chocolate (melted in the microwave or over a double boiler)
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips
- 1 egg (medium)
Tools
loaf pan 12 x 4 in (suitable for a 1 kg / 2.2 lb dough)
- Loaf pan sets
- Loaf pans
Steps
Melt the dark chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave and let it cool slightly.
Warm the milk slightly (not hot, about 86–95°F). Dissolve the fresh baker’s yeast in the milk and mix well.Place the flour, the cocoa and the sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or on a work surface. Mix the dry ingredients.
Add the milk with the yeast, the egg and the melted chocolate. Start kneading until you obtain a homogeneous dough.
Add the soft butter in pieces little by little, kneading until completely absorbed. Work the dough for at least 8–10 minutes, until it is smooth, elastic and well developed.
Finally incorporate the chocolate chips, distributing them evenly.
Form a ball, transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled (about 1 hour 30 minutes – 2 hours, depending on room temperature).
Gently deflate the dough and divide it into three equal parts. Shape three smooth balls.
Line a loaf pan with parchment paper (trim it to size) or butter it. Place the three balls inside, side by side.
Cover and let rise again until the dough almost reaches the top of the pan (about 45–60 minutes).
Bake in a preheated conventional oven at 356°F for about 30–35 minutes. If the surface darkens too much, cover with a sheet of aluminum foil for the last minutes.
Remove from the oven and brush, if desired, with a little warm milk or the light sugar syrup to obtain a shiny finish (see the introduction for how to make it).
Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then unmold and cool completely on a wire rack.
So soft as you can see, and to make up for the little sugar for my taste, I spread a big spoonful of strawberry jam on it!
Enjoy your meal!
Annalisa
Collection of sweet leavened breads if you want to read → https://blog.giallozafferano.it/asilannablu/raccolta-lievitati-dolci/
