Along with an entree at this popular steakhouse chain, comes

a freshly baked loaf of this dark, sweet bread, served on it’s

own cutting board with soft whipped butter. One distinctive

feature of the bread is its color. How does the bread get so

dark? While you may notice the recipe includes instant coffee

and cocoa, these ingredients will not give it it’s deep dark

chocolate brown color – not even close. Usually breads that

are this dark — such as pumpernickel or dark bran muffins –

contain caramel color, an ingredient often used in the industry

to darken foods. Since your local supermarket will not likely

have this mostly commercial product, we will make the caramel

color from a mixture of three food colorings — red, yellow and

blue. Just be sure to get the food coloring in the little droppers

so that you can count the drops as you measure. That’s very

important to getting the color just right. You may also opt

to keep the color out. The bread will certainly taste the same,

but will look nothing like the real deal. I suggest using a

bread machine for the mixing and kneading, if you have one.

Dough

1 1/2 cups warm water

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 cup honey

2 cups bread flour

1 2/3 cups wheat flour

1 tablespoon cocoa

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

2 teaspoons instant coffee

1 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 teaspoons (1 pkg.) yeast

Coloring

1/4 cup water

75 drops red food coloring

45 drops blue food coloring

30 drops yellow food coloring

cornmeal for dusting

1. If using a bread machine, add all of the ingredients for the

dough in the exact order listed into the pan of your machine.

Set it on “knead” and when the machine begins to mix the dough,

combine the food coloring with 1/4 cup of water and drizzle it

into the mixture as it combines. After the dough is created let

it rest to rise for an hour or so. Then remove it from the pan

and go to step #3.

2. If you are not using a bread machine, combine the flours, cocoa,

sugar, coffee and salt in large bowl. Make a depression or “well”

in the middle of the dry mixture. Pour the warm water into this

“well,” then add the butter, honey and yeast. Combine the food

coloring drops with 1/4 cup of water and add that to the “well.

” Slowly mix the ingredients with a spoon, drawing the dry

ingredients into the wet. When you can handle the dough, begin to

combine it by hand, kneading the dough thoroughly for at least ten

minutes, until it is very smooth and has a consistent color. Set

the dough into a covered bowl in a warm place for an hour, to allow

it to rise.

3. When the dough has risen to about double in size, punch it down

and divide it into 8 even portions (divide dough in half, divide

those halves in half, and then once more). Form the portions into

tubular shaped loaves about 8 inches long and 2 inches wide.

Sprinkle the entire surface of the loaves with cornmeal and place

them on a cookie sheet, or two. Cover the cookie sheet(s) with

plastic wrap and let the dough rise once more for another hour in a warm location.

4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Uncover the dough and bake it

for 20-24 minutes in the hot oven. Loaves should begin to darken

slightly on top when done. Serve warm with a sharp bread knife

and butter on the side. If you want whipped butter, like you get

at the restaurant, just use an electric mixer on high speed to

whip some butter until it’s fluffy.

Makes 8 small loaves.

Tidbits

It is normal for this dough to be a bit tacky and to seem somewhat

thin. Just be sure to add plenty of flour to your hands and work

surface when working with the dough to prevent sticking.

If you are able to find caramel color, you can use that rather than

the food coloring formula described in the recipe. Just measure 1

tablespoon of caramel color into the dough mixture where the recipe

uses food coloring and water.