This vegan chocolate wreath bread is a festive babka, perfect for Christmas breakfast or as a food gift, or just to have in the winter during orange season.
Place the milk and coconut oil in a small saucepan and heat over medium until simmering. Whisk in the maple syrup, orange juice, and orange zest, then pour into a large heat safe bowl. Use a finger to test the heat - it should be just slightly warmer than your skin. If it's too hot then leave it for a few minutes to cool slightly.
250 ml milk*, 50 grams coconut oil, 60 ml maple syrup or honey, 60 ml orange juice, Zest of 2 oranges
Once the milk mixture is at the right temperature, crumble/sprinkle the yeast overtop. Whisk to dissolve, then leave the bowl for 15 minutes for the yeast to activate. It should grow considerably and if you don't see, at minimum, foaminess, you probably need new yeast.
21 grams yeast**
When the yeast has activated, add 1 cup of flour along with the cinnamon and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon, and continue to add the flour 1/2 cup at a time, stirring thoroughly between additions. Once you've reached 2 1/2 cups it should become difficult to stir, and that's when you'll start to knead.
300 - 350 grams light spelt flour, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt
Generously flour a countertop and turn the dough out onto it. Set the extra 1/2 cup of flour to the side and add it in small amounts as you knead to keep the dough from becoming too sticky. If you add all of the flour and it's not yet soft and smooth, continue to knead but use a small amount of oil on the countertop and your hands instead of flour. This should be a soft dough. Knead for about 5-10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Avoid over kneading as spelt becomes chewy if over worked.
300 - 350 grams light spelt flour
Place the dough in a clean, greased bowl. Brush a small amount of oil over the dough, cover with a tea towel, and place the bowl in a warm place to rise for about an hour, or until doubled in size. Near a radiator or in the oven with the light on are both ideal.
Once the dough has risen, gently punch it down and turn it out onto a floured surface. Roll the dough out to about 1 cm thickness, making a large rectangle. Spread the filling out evenly over the rectangle, then roll lengthwise into a long sausage. Cut this down the centre, lengthwise, all the way through. Place one half over the other, filling-side facing up, to make an X shape. Gently wrap each side over the other, like a two-strand braid, until all of the dough has been plaited. Make a circle and try to tuck the ends underneath to avoid a messy section but don't worry if it's a little imperfect.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Now the tricky part: gently lift the dough wreath and place it onto the baking sheet. It will lose its round shape slightly but you can move it back into place. Do any alterations necessary now as you won't be able to once it's finished its second proof. Cover again and place somewhere warm to rise for another 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Bake the bread for 30-35 minutes, or until golden. Remove and cool on the baking sheet for about half an hour before removing and cooling fully on a rack. Serve warm if you can, but it's just as good cold.
Filling
Place the chocolate, coconut cream, and orange zest into a heat-safe bowl. Place over a small saucepan of simmering water (don't let the base of the bowl touch the water) and heat, stirring occasionally, until melted. Whisk to fully incorporate.
50 grams dark chocolate, 3 tablespoons coconut cream***, Zest of an orange
Spread the chocolate mixture over the rolled out dough, then top with the dates, coconut sugar, and cinnamon.
• Maybe you can tell from the photos that I did not avoid a messy section! I was interrupted while making the bread and had to get it put together quickly before it rose too much - you could cover it with a ribbon if you're gifting it. * I use oat milk. ** I've tested with both fresh and dry yeast, both work well. *** Coconut cream from the top of a can of full-fat coconut milk.