Steakhouse-Style Bread

In a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 1/2 cup bread flour, yeast and water; stir. Let it sit until slightly foamy, about 10 minutes.

In a separate large bowl, sift or whisk together remaining bread flour, whole wheat flour, rye flour and cocoa powder.

Add flour mixture into the yeast mixture and mix. Then add oil, sugar and salt and mix. Gradually stir in black coffee until a dough forms.

Knead dough on a lightly floured surface by hand for 10 minutes until dough is firm, yet smooth and elastic. Or you can knead dough using a stand mixer with dough hook for 5 minutes until dough is firm, yet smooth and elastic. You may need to add a little more water or flour as you knead to achieve the proper consistency.

Shape dough into a ball and place in a large, lightly greased bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Transfer to a warm place and let dough rise until doubled, about 1-2 hours.

Punch down dough. Shape into a sandwich bread shaped loaf and place in a lightly greased 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Cover with a tea towel and let it rise until doubled, about 1-2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 F at the end of the rise time. When dough is risen, place it in the oven and bake until deep golden brown and baked through, about 35-40 minutes (to test for done-ness, remove bread from loaf pan and gently thwack the bottom; it will make a hollow sound when it’s done).

Remove bread from oven and let it cool for 10 minutes in the loaf pan. Remove from pan and let it cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing.

Recipe adapted from Roxana’s Home Baking.