As I write this there are millions of soft little snowflakes gently making their way down to blanket the bushes in the yard and all the trees in the distance. Seems very fitting since this Chocolate Hazelnut Swirl Spelt Bread is something my Oma used to always make at Christmastime. Unfortunately there are a lot of things my Oma doesn’t bake anymore since the love of her life (my Opa) passed away six years ago. How I stumbled across this recipe was pure luck and maybe a little bit of fate.
In the past, Oma and I have spent time going through my Mom’s cookbooks that I kept, translating interesting German recipes as we go. This last time though she started pulling her cookbooks down too, trying to find a specific recipe. I love her cookbooks. There aren’t many, they are quite old, well loved and all in German, but they are like treasures to me. Anyways, she found what she was looking for but stumbled across the recipe for this bread in the process. She pauses to reminisce about the past when she used to bake it, how special it was to her and how much my Opa loved it. Then she went to tuck it away again… hang on just one minute! I WANT that recipe. 😀
It didn’t matter to me that Christmas had long come and gone, I was going to make this bread anyhow! Of course I had to “speltify” it and decided to give it a little chocolate drizzle twist which upped this simple hazelnut bread (as it was called in my Oma’s recipe book) to the Chocolate Hazelnut Swirl Spelt Bread is has become. A much more fitting name for a bread so close to my Oma’s heart.
After I made it I brought a whole loaf to her so we could enjoy a couple slices with tea. She was so thrilled that she presented another treasured recipe for a poppyseed torte to me, smacking her lips and grinning as she did. I know what’s next on my baking list. 😉
Happy baking!
If you liked this recipe you are going to love these ones!
Bavarian Walnut Spelt Stollen
Whole Grain Spelt Banana Bread
Cinnamon Raisin No Knead Spelt Bread
Chocolate Hazelnut Swirl Spelt Bread
Ingredients
Hazelnut Filling
- 75 grams organic butter at room temperature
- 75 grams organic sugar
- 1 organic or local large egg
- 3 drops almond extract
- 175 grams hazelnuts toasted, cooled and finely ground
Dough
- 265 grams all purpose, organic spelt flour also called white spelt flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 100 grams organic sugar
- 1/2 tsp organic vanilla extract
- 2 drops lemon extract
- 1 tsp dark rum optional
- 1 organic or local large egg
- 100 grams cold organic butter
- 100 grams quark or cottage cheese drained overnight
Egg Wash
- 1 organic or local large egg
- 1 tbsp organic milk or cream
Chocolate Drizzle (optional)
- 30 grams semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 tsp organic coconut oil
Instructions
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If you're using cottage cheese, press it through a sieve or blend it briefly in a food processor until fine.
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Grease a loaf pan and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Make the Filling
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In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer beat the butter, then add the sugar and beat until smooth. Add the egg and almond extract and beat again until fluffy. Fold in the ground hazelnuts until completely incorporated. Set aside.
Make the Dough
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In a medium bowl, mix together the flour and baking powder with a whisk. Pour this onto a large, clean area of countertop and make a well in the middle. Add the sugar, vanilla extract, lemon extract, rum and the egg into the well. Cut the cold butter into small pieces and distribute it around the outside of the flour along with the quark or cottage cheese.
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Using your hands, mix the sugar, flavourings and egg with some of the flour to create a thick consistency. Then work everything together into a smooth dough. If the dough is sticky, add a touch more flour to the counter and mix it into the dough. Move the dough to the side.
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Lightly flour the countertop and the top of the dough. Roll the dough out into a rectangle the width of the loaf tin until it is 1/2" thick. Use additional light dustings of flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking to the countertop and the rolling pin.
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Drop large spoonfuls of the hazelnut filling over the dough and then spread it to the edges evenly. Roll up the dough and place into the loaf pan with the seam side down. Make two cuts the entire length of the dough approximately 1cm deep (through to the first layer of nut filling).
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Whisk the egg and milk or cream together for the egg wash. Spread it generously over the top of the dough without letting it dribble down into the sides of the loaf pan.
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Bake for 60 minutes, remove and brush with egg wash again. Bake for another 10 minutes or until the top is a deep golden brown and a toothpick poked into the centre comes out clean.
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Drag a sharp knife around between the bread and the loaf tin, then turn upside down to remove. Place on a wire rack to cool.
Make the Chocolate Drizzle (optional)
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In a double boiler or in a small bowl on top of a small pot with a little water in it, melt the chocolate and coconut oil over medium-low heat until smooth. Use a spoon or spatula to drizzle it over the bread.
