August
15, 2009
White Chocolate Bread
Stop. Whatever you’re doing. Grab your keys. Drive to the nearest grocery store and buy yourself some white chocolate chips and wheat gluten. Speed home as fast as you can, and make this bread. Immediately. Because once you do, you won’t be able imagine how you ever lived without it. It’s that good.
I first had this bread about 7 years ago on a family vacation to Club Med. This bread is their specialty. And every morning, we’d race to the buffet and load our plates with it. I could have lived on it. And when we left, I was sad, because I’d have to go back to eating cereal for breakfast. I scoured the internet when I got home, looking for a recipe, with no luck. I even tried baking a loaf of bread and throwing some white chocolate chips in it, with dismal results. It just wasn’t the same.
Then, just last week, a post popped up in my twitter account with a link to the recipe! The actual recipe. I could barely contain my excitement.
The one tricky part about the recipe is an ingredient. It calls for wheat gluten. Maybe I’m out of the loop, but I’ve never heard of such a thing. Oh I know that gluten is what makes bread chewey, but I thought it was more a result of a process, and not an ingredient you could buy. So off we went in search of wheat gluten. Lucky for us we found it fairly easily at a health food store nearby. There was this box by Arrowhead Mills, but there was also some by the Bob’s Red Mill brand (this one was cheaper though, by a whole $3! so we went with it instead). Score.
With wheat gluten in hand, I just needed to find time to make it. So I did. Yesterday. During the time I usually reserve for my daily workout. If I can only have an hour of free time, I’d much rather make this bread than exercise. Can you blame me?
The bread is surprisingly easy. I was expecting much more wait-time and a lot more hand to dough contact, but no. If you’ve got a stand mixer it practically makes itself.
The result is quite similar in texture to a typical country bread, but with one delicious twist – morsels of sweet molten white chocolate, melted into the bubbles and nooks and crannies of the bread. The chocolate pieces on the outside of the bread turn golden and crisp, and even more of the chocolate oozes out during the baking process. The sweetness permeates every last bite. Eat it for breakfast, or dessert, or anytime in between. And don’t be surprised if your two large-ish looking loaves (we halved the recipe) are gone within 48 hours.
I told you it was good.
White Chocolate Bread
Makes 5 loaves. Recipe from ClubMed Insider.
Ingredients
8 cups flour
1 teaspoon yeast
1 tablespoon wheat gluten
2 teaspoons salt
3 1/2 cups water
2 3/4 cups white chocolate chipsDirections
Place flour, yeast and gluten in a small bowl. Mix on medium-low or first speed for 1 minute. Add water and mix for another 2 minutes. Add salt and continue to mix for another 8-10 minutes on medium or second speed.Add chips and mix for 1-2 minutes or until the chips are well distributed throughout the dough. Take dough out of bowl and lightly knead into a ball. Let rest for 15-20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 450?F. Divide dough into 5 equal portions and knead into the desired form. Let the loaves proof for about 30-45 minutes, depending on the heat and humidity of the area.
Place uncooked loaves on a baking pan lined with parchment paper and bake for approximately 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes.
Share
Subscribe via RSS
Follow Me on Twitter
Carly - "Oh what I would give to have cheesecake again - especially chocolate w…"
Kim - "Came here for the chocolate cheesecake recipe. Found a fun contest goi…"
Suezy - "peanuts-- not peanut butter in cupcakes? who would have thought. the g…"
Rachael - "I love your blog! Your cupcakes always look amazing!!"
#1 | Reply
I am writing all this down because I am SO making this, hello!
#2 | Reply
That does sound AWESOME! And when I was a kid I’d always dream my parents would take us on a Club Med vacation. Sadly, they never did. We did take a couple cruises, and went to Disney World, and lots of other places. But never Club Med. I’m officially jealous.
#3 | Reply
Oh my!! Bread and chocolate!! My mother would be in heaven, I am bookmarking this recipe to make for next time I visit home. Thanks for posting!!
#4 | Reply
It sounds and looks heavenly!
#5 | Reply
Yesterday, I woke up to a mountain morning thunder storm. Luckily I had purchased the two “not usually in the pantry products” wheat gluten and white choc. chips. So like mother, like daughter I too made this recipe.
I had planned to make only half but by mistake added the full amount of water, the final ingredient. I had to go back and double the other ingredients. Even when added out of order the result was fabulous. I was eating warm white choc. chip bread before the storm had ended. I then gave away several mini loaves and froze two large loaves for my husband and other daughter who are backpacking, but mainly to prevent me from eating it all. This will be my new favorite breakfast treat replacing choc. chip banana bread!
#6 | Reply
Fascinating! I love the idea of chocolate bread although personally I think white chocolate chips are pretty terrible. I’d definitely use a chopped up high-quality white chocolate bar instead.
#7 | Reply
oh my. you are a godsend. i remember this bread well from when i went to club med years ago…we smuggled some out with us for the plane ride home! i have been searching for the recipe for so long and finally have it! thanks so much!
#8 | Reply
Wow. I’m already dreaming of turning any leftovers into French toast.
#9 | Reply
OMG! *Virtual hug* *Virtual kiss on each cheek* Seriously… thanks! My husband and I are avid ClubMed goers… in fact, we are headed to Cancun this December.
I have the “ClubMed White Choc Bread” recipe, but it is missing one important thing. Exact baking degree and time. Also, it is for a huge amount, like 8 loaves or something. I have not been able to replicate the taste for 12 years now!
Thanks again!!!!
Cheers :)
#10 | Reply
Wow! This looks so interesting! I have never seen anything like this and I know I will have to make it soon!
#11 | Reply
Sounds and looks like the best of both worlds! Thanks for sharing!
~ingrid
#12 | Reply
What an interesting recipe–I’m really looking forward to trying it! If you end up doing anything else with it (bread pudding, french toast, etc.), please post about it! I’d be curious to see.
Just wondering about the yeast you used. Was it instant?
thanks!
#13 | Reply
hello! first of all… this bread looks amazing. and easy enough for me to try it myself! second, i just received your cupcake cards in the mail. thank you SO much— what pretty recipe cards! it was like receiving an awesome care package. i loved it!
carolyn
#14 | Reply
Mmmm. Looks lovely. I always have some wheat gluten on hand so that I can make seitan. I like to make ‘veggeroni’ for my sandwiches and sometimes veggie sausages. Its very handy indeed!
#15 | Reply
I want that so badly. But I can’t have it in the house. I’d eat it all. Chocolate and bread? Be still my heart.
OK. I’m bookmarking it afterall. Sigh.
#16 | Reply
What a great idea for bread. How nice of club med to provide the recipe!! :0)
#17 | Reply
I seriously want to try this recipe, but 2 questions…first, using a stand mixer, do you use the dough hook for the mixing or just the paddle attachment?
Also, your photo shows 2 loaves, yet the recipe says to divide into 5 loaves. I am thinking this means 2 large loaves, or 5 small loaves. Help please.
#18 | Reply
Denise -
Good questions! To answer them, we used the dough hook on the mixer. You could use the paddle initially to mix the dry ingredients, but once you add the water you’ll have a big mess on your hands unless you use the dough hook. :) And we halved the recipe, only making two loaves instead of 5. :)
Enjoy!
#19 | Reply
MMM…w/Nutella?? yes.
#20 | Reply
Hi! I have reserved the recipe since you posted and I finally found time to create it today! However, I’m wondering, was your dough really sticky? Mine is awfully sticky and I added some flour to ease it up but it didn’t help too much. Suggestions? I also halved the recipe and am using a stand mixer. Thanks!
#21 | Reply
I did end up turning this into French toast, but it may have been overkill. :) The bread all by itself was amazing, though! Thanks for posting the recipe!
#22 | Reply
Wow, I am sooooo glad I came upon your page. I tried out the recipe last night and wow…just wow… Amazing result… the look of it competes with the taste. Thank you so much for sharing:)!!
#23 | Reply
I can’t wait to try this. I made a similar version a few years ago after coming home from Club Med. It was nothing like what I ate constantly on vacation! Maybe the wheat gluten is the key ingredient! It wasn’t in the one I had already tried.
#24 | Reply
We, too, went to Club Med, and this is one of the things I enjoyed the most! I have been looking for the recipe for quite a while. With a new kitchen remodel in progress, this is sure to be one of the first things I will make in my new oven! Thanks a million, you have made my day!
#25 | Reply
I’ve made this bread twice so far with great results and modified it by adding dried cherries. One question though. Do you think that using a 9×5 pan for a little more typical shape loaf would affect the baking time significantly?
#26 | Reply
Hello Lindsay,
I came across your blog looking for cupcake recipes, word has it you’re great at those. This is my first time here, I took a look around and I’m sure I’ll be hanging out here often, this white chocolate bread recipe literally made my jaw drop.
There’s nothing I love more than bread and white chocolate is my husband’s favorite. However, I’m having one little problem and was wondering if you could help, I live in Egypt and I can’t find wheat gluten, would just regular plain gluten do? Please? :) Or any other substitute, I really wanna give this a try, your pictures are tempting enough and the recipe does sound quite easy.
Thanks!