; Supermarket Serenade: Bittersweet Chocolate Coconut Bread

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Bittersweet Chocolate Coconut Bread

I have always been a tea drinker. I remember happily drinking tea with my brothers and cousins at the dining room table of my grandmother's house. The tea, thick with milk and sugar, was more of a dessert than a beverage, but I felt so grown up drinking it. Now I drink it black. Oh my sweet tooth hasn't gone away, I just prefer not to drink my sweets-I much prefer to eat them.

Bittersweet chocolate to me is the best kind of chocolate; it has a chocolate sweetness that is...well..not too sweet. This bread, a tea bread if you will, is just that-not too sweet. The texture is definitely bread-like as opposed to cake-like and I love to nibble on it in the evening with a cup of green tea.

You can usually find bittersweet chocolate in the baking section of the supermarket. I like the bar form and will usually crack it with the back end of a knife while it's still wrapped in the package-I like the non-uniformity of the pieces as opposed to using chips, but if you prefer you can substitute chips. Try to find the bittersweet chocolate, but if all else fails semi-sweet chocolate will work just fine.

Bittersweet Chocolate Coconut Bread

1 egg
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon coconut extract
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup sweetened coconut
1 (3 ounce) bar Bittersweet (not unsweetened) chocolate, crushed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a small bowl whisk together the egg, milk, coconut extract and vegetable oil. In a large mixing bowl sift together the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder; stir in 3/4 cup of the coconut and the chocolate.

Using a wooden spoon, gradually stir the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love coconut and chocolate together, but never thought about it in a bread. Looks delish.

The live blogging thing was very interesting and looked like a lot of fun!-Lorie.

Deb in Hawaii said...

This looks so decadent! I love coconut and chocolate so this would be right up my alley!

avesta said...

I, too, grew up drinking sweet tea with milk. I think my mom used to put it in our bottles...is that bad?!? This bread would be so good with a great cup of tea..and I love coconut and chocolate together!

Veronica said...

Avesta, It's just like drinking caffeinated formula, right?

That Girl said...

Bittersweet chocolate is my favorite kind!

Jodie said...

That looks SO good!

grace said...

veronica. this bread is awesome. i don't think chocolate and coconut get combined enough (mounds bars are a personal favorite), and this looks just perfect.

Mary Bergfeld said...

What a great combination. I'm just trying to calculate how much time I'll have to spend on the treadmill if my bad angel wins the argument he's having with my good, sensible angel!

Pam said...

Bookmarked! I love, love, love coconut...it's my absolute favorite! This looks like a perfect treat for me and I can't wait to make it.

Maria said...

Can I lick the few crumbs from the plate? Your bread sounds fabulous!! I love chocolate and cocnut together. Great recipe!

Aggie said...

Chocolate and coconut? YUM! This sounds like the perfect dessert. Thanks for sharing!

The Blonde Duck said...

That looks like the perfect treat for a Friday morning! I love it!

La Bella Cooks said...

This is a perfect combination and I agree, it would be perfect with a cup of tea. I still like mine with a bit of cream, but no sugar. I may have to give your recipe a try, if you don't mind.

Anonymous said...

Oh, this is going on my To-Do list. Can you use any kind of milk, or does it need to be full fat?
~Cat
Seriously. Want to eat that right now.

Veronica said...

Cat,

I actually used skim milk and it turned out just fine.

Aunt Julie said...

Wow--you've got my two favorites, coconut and chocolate, in one recipe. And I'm a tea-drinker, too! Hope you were able to drop by my Recipe Week--today's the last day if you'd like to check out some yummy dishes!