Recipe: Naomi Toilalo's chocolate-studded Easter bread

This is a beautiful parāoa (bread), both in appearance and taste. I've added a twist to this traditional loaf by adding chocolate drops. Serve it warm with my lightly spiced whipped butter and cherry jam - a beautiful combination to share with others. 

Kia rua hautoru kapu wai aromahana  - 2/3 cup lukewarm water

Kia haurua kapu huka hāura - 1/2 cup brown sugar

Kia kotahi me te hauwhā kokonui īhi tere - 1 1/4 Tbsp instant yeast (10g)

Kia haurua kapu miraka - 1/2 cup milk 

Kia toru hēki - 3 eggs (size 6, 150g)

Kia kotahi kokonui wanira - 1 Tbsp vanilla 

Kia hautoru kapu noni - 1/3 cup neutral-flavoured oil 

Kia whā me te haurua kapu puehu parāoa kounga - 4 1/2 cups high grade flour (675g)

Kia rua me te haurua kokoiti tote - 2 1/2 tsp salt 

Kia 200 karamu tiakarete kōpata - 200g chocolate drops

Kia rua kokonui huka one - 2 Tbsp caster sugar 

 

1. Add the wai aromahana and huka hāura in to a large bowl. Kaurorihia kia rewa te huka - stir until the sugar is dissolved.  

2. Stir in the īhi tere and allow to activate for five minutes until foamy. 

3. Put the miraka and hēki in a separate bowl. Mix well, then remove 3 Tbsp (30g) of this mixture and place it in a jar for later - this will be used as the egg wash. 

4. Stir the wanira and noni into the remaining egg mixture. Pour this into the activated yeast mixture. Kaurorihia - stir it up. 

5. Tukua te puehu parāoa me te tote - add the flour and the salt. Whakaranuhia - mix to combine, until a shaggy dough forms.  

6. Knead the dough. You can do this in a mixer with the dough hook attachment for 12 minutes or by hand for 15 minutes. The dough is quite sticky but try not to add too much extra flour.  

7. Once the dough has been kneaded, stretch it out on to the bench and sprinkle over the tiakarete kōpata. Knead gently so it is evenly dispersed.  

8. Place in a bowl, cover and leave for 1 1/2 hours until doubled in size.

9. Cut the dough into four equal portions. Roll each portion into a 40cm rope.

10. Press the top ends together and then take the fourth strand (on the right) and weave it over and under the others strand until it lands on the other side. Repeat this process until all the dough is braided (see my Instagram to see this process in action). 

11. Once the braid is complete, tuck the two ends under itself and place on a 40cm long tray.

12. Cover and allow to rise again for 45 minutes. Heat the oven to 170 degrees C.

13. Just before baking, brush with the reserved egg mixture and sprinkle with huka one for a crunchy crust. Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden.

TE MŌHINUHINU - THE GLAZE  

You can glaze this bread with anything - honey, melted butter or a dusting of icing sugar. Here's what I recommend.

Kia 30 karamu pata kua rewaina - 30g melted butter

Kia rua kokonui marahihi māpere - 2 Tbsp maple syrup 

1. Mix the pata and marahihi māpere together. Brush over the freshly baked bread.  

 

PATA TĀWHIUWHIU - WHIPPED BUTTER 

Kia 100 karamu pata kūteretere - 100g softened butter

Kia whā kokonui puehu huka - 4 Tbsp icing sugar

Kia kotahi kokoiti wanira - 1 tsp vanilla 

Kia kotahi kokoiti rau kikini whakauruuru - 1 tsp mixed spice 

Whip all the ingredients together until light and fluffy. Serve with the warm parāoa (bread). 

 

Naomi Toilalo's book, WhānauKai: Feel-good baking to share aroha and feed hungry tummies, is out now.