DOUBLE CHOCOLATE ZUCHINNI BREAD

Aaahh....kids and veggies....it seems to be the modern day battle ground for kids and parents.  Personally I love my veggies - really love them.  However, I know that a lot of fellow parents are always on the look out for ways to sneak vegetables into their children's stomachs (not just the mouth because they can still be spat out at that point!).  I also know that their are plenty of adults who like to think that a sweet treat is a bit healthier if it contains a vegetable.  So in light of this, I present to you this lovely loaf bread.  Chock full of Vitamin Zuchinni and also happily chock full of nutritious chocolate (ok - I know nutritious is a bit of a stretch but work with me here!).  I hope you enjoy it.  It's moist and dense and very very tasty and it is HUGE! 

Don't worry that your jug will seem very full of ingredients and don't panic if it seems at first that it is not all going to mix properly.  It will mix - the magic happens at about the 1 min left on the programme mark when it all comes together. Have faith! Also, this is a very large batter and I have recommended cooking it in a large loaf tin (normal bread loaf size).  You can speed up the baking by choosing two smaller tins.  It doesn't strictly have to be loaf shaped - round or square tins will do just as well.  You will just need to keep and eye on the cooking time.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE ZUCHINNI BREAD  

1. 180g butter, diced
2. 4 cups grated zucchini (about 2 medium zucchini)
3. 2 1/2 cups plain flour
4. 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
5. 2 teaspoons bicarb soda
6. 1 teaspoon salt
7. 1 cup white sugar
8. 1/2 cup brown sugar
9. 2 eggs
10. 2 teaspons vanilla

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips, divided

1. Grease and line with baking paper a large loaf pan. Preheat oven to 160 degrees and place the rack in the middle of the oven.
2.  Place diced butter in the jug with the kneading blade.  Set Speed 3 Temp 75 Time 3 minutes.
3. Once the butter is melted place all of the ingredients and 1 cup of chocolate chips in the jug.
4. Select Pastry P1.  After 1 min, pause the machine and scrape down the sides of the jug. Recommence programme.
5. Once the programme is complete, pour batter into the prepared tin.  Sprinkle the top of the batter with the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips.
6. Bake for 1 hour - 1 hour 25 minutes. ( I recommend covering the cake with foil after half an hour to prevent scorching.
7. Once a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean, remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin before turning out.

GLAZED CHOCOLATE SCROLLS

Scrolls are such a wonderful baked treat.  Great for breakfast or morning or afternoon tea. They are also a school lunch box staple.  I thought that these might make a change from the normal savoury, vegemite or cinnamon scrolls.  I have included choc chips because in my opinion you can never have too much chocolate but feel free to leave them out or even substitute nuts instead. I hope you enjoy them.

(Note - some readers have looked at this recipe and been overwhelmed by the apparent numerous steps.  There actually aren't that many steps at all.  I just tend to provide a lot of information and probably over explain because I want you to be successful. I am not one of those bloggers that posts 500 photos of every single step of a recipe (Seriously? You need a photo of cracking an egg?).  This recipe is basically making the dough in one step in the CC, rolling it out, covering with the filling, rolling it up, cutting your scrolls, let them rise again, bake and glaze. Oh and eat!)

GLAZED CHOCOLATE SCROLLS 

Scrolls 

1 1/2 cups warm water
1/3 cup oil (canola, sunflower or vegetable)
1tsp of instant yeast
1/3 cup caster sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup of cocoa powder
3 1/3 cups of plain flour

Filling3 tbsp melted butter
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 tsp cocoa powder
1/2 cup of choc chips (optional) or nuts if desired.

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees. Place rack in the centre of the oven. Grease a two litre pyrex dish or a medium roasting pan.

2. Place all ingredient in the jug with the kneading blade, in the order specified.
3. Select the Pastry P1 programme.  After 30 seconds, stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the jug. Resume programme.
4. After the programme is finished and commences the proving time (Temp 30 Time 30 min) remove the blade, using a spatula to scrape off any dough.
5. Invert the jug over a lightly flour cutting board, bench top or silicone sheet. Undo the locking nut and push out the spindle.
6. Remove spindle from the dough. Cover the base of the jug with a small piece of cling wrap. Spray the jug lightly with cooking spray.
7. Return the dough to the jug and press start to resume the proving programme.
8. Once the proving is complete and the dough is doubled in size (reset proving programme for a further period if you are not happy with the size) invert the jug onto a floured surface.
9. Knead the dough quickly for about 20 seconds and shape dough into a rectangle.
10. Roll dough out into a large rectangle of around 30cm x 20cm. Brush dough all over, right to the edges, with the melted butter.
11. Sprinkle sugar and cocoa filling mixture all over dough, ensuring that it goes right to the edges. Sprinkle on choc bits or nuts or whatever you may choose to use, if you wish to do so. If you are using these, gently press them into the dough to prevent them falling out during rolling.
12. Roll the dough up into a log from the long side of the rectangle. Seal the seam by pinching firmly. Place the log seam side down.
13. Trim the ends and then cut the dough into 1 inch thick pieces - you should get between 10 and 12 scrolls.
14. Place scrolls into the prepared dish and leave to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
15. Place scrolls in the oven and bake for 20 -30 minutes.  The time will vary depending on how thick you have cut them.  Keep an eye on the from the 20 minute mark.
16. Remove scrolls from the oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes whilst you make the glaze.  The drizzle generously with the glaze.  Allow at least half and hour for the glaze to set.

Glaze 
1 cup of icing mixture
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract

2-4 tsp of milk

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl - add enough of the milk to make a good drizzling consistency.
2. Drizzle over scrolls.

Note - if you wish, after the scrolls have been placed in the tray, you can put them in the fridge overnight to proof.  Remove them from the fridge and allow them to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes prior to baking.

SPICED HONEY CAKE

Isn't honey a wonderful thing?  I love honey.  There is nothing like honey slathered all over a piece of homemade white bread, still hot from the oven.  It's delightful on crumpets, pikelets and scones too. Honey can be used as a substitute for sugar in many baked goods and is also fantastic as the main flavour.  This cake is fantastic.  A lovely mix of the distinctive taste of honey and tasty spices.  It smells fabulous when it is baking.

SPICED HONEY CAKE  

125g honey
50g golden syrup

140g butter diced

45g brown sugar

150g plain flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp mixed spice

2 eggs

1 tbsp of finely grated fresh ginger (or used 1/4 tsp ground ginger)

1. Preheat your oven to 160 degrees and place a rack so the the top of the cake tin will be in the centre of the oven.
2. Line a 20cm x 10cm loaf tin with baking paper, with paper hanging over the long sides.
3. Place honey, golden syrup, butter and sugar in the jug with the kneading blade. Select Sp3 Temp 70 Time 3.00.
4. When the programme is finished add all other ingredients.
5. Select Pastry P1 for 1.00.  After 30 seconds, stop the machine and scrape down the jug. Resume programme.
6. Once programme is complete, pour batter into your prepared tin (note that the batter is very liquid).
7. Place cake in the oven and bake for 30 - 35 minutes.
8. When the cake is firm in the centre or a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out to cool on a wire rack.
9. Can be eaten warm or at room temperature.

Note - you can cook this in any shaped tin you prefer. Just keep an eye on the cooking time.