2 ½ cup warm water (100°-110°F)
¼ cup vegetable oil
½ teaspoon Brown gel paste coloring
½ cup honey
2 Tablespoons molasses
3 ½ cups whole-wheat flour
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons active dry yeast
2-3 cups bread flour
corn meal (for dusting loaves)
parchment paper
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, stir together water, oil, coloring, honey and molasses until mixed well.
Add wheat flour to water mixture.
Add cocoa powder & salt, and stir until blended. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap and allow mixture to sit for 20 minutes (this will give the flour time to absorb the liquids).
Stir in yeast, then add the bread flour, one cup at a time, until dough clings to hook and almost clears the sides of mixer, about 3-4 minutes.
Cover bowl with greased plastic wrap.
Allow dough to rise in the bowl until doubled, about 45-60 minutes.
Prepare 2 cookie sheets by lining them with parchment paper, set aside. Divide dough into 4 pieces.
Cover each piece with greased plastic wrap, and let dough rest for 5 minutes.
On a prepared cookie sheet, shape 2 pieces of dough into 2 loaves, each approximately 9-10 inches long. Sprinkle with corn meal, and repeat with the remaining 2 pieces of dough.
Let dough rise until doubled, about 45-60 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Bake at for 40 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking.
Transfer leaves to a wire rack to cool at least 1 hour before serving