Cacao & olive bread with smoked salmon

‘I’ve always made my own bread so this takes me back to the beginning when I first played around with cacao.’

‘I’ve always made my own bread so this takes me back to the beginning when I first played around with cacao.’

300g plain white flour 100g strong wholemeal flour 1 tsp salt 1 sp easy-blend yeast 150ml full-fat milk 150ml water 75g Willie’s Supreme Cacao Venezuelan Black Carenero Superior 100% cacao, grated 75ml extra-virgin olive oil 200g green olives, pitted and chopped 1 egg yolk, beaten, or 1 tbsp milk 1 tbsp fennel seeds For the topping: 1 medium pack smoked salmon 1 medium pot of crème fraiche

Sift the flours and salt into a large mixing bowl and stir in the yeast. Warm the milk and water in a saucepan. Add the cacao and stir until it has melted. Pour in the olive oil and mix well. Tip into the bowl of dry ingredients and mix to form a soft, but not sticky, dough. Add more flour or water to achieve the right consistency. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. (You can make the dough in a food processor – place the flour, salt and yeast in the bowl, then add the warm liquid and process for about 5 minutes.)

Sprinkle chopped olives over the dough and knead a little more to mix them in. Place in a lightly greased bowl and cover with a clean tea towel. Leave in a warm place for at least 2 hours to allow the dough to double in size.

Tip the risen dough onto a floured surface and knock it back to its original size. Press into a large, oiled bread tin and lightly brush the top with either beaten egg yolk or milk and sprinkle over the fennel seeds. Leave in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/gas mark 5 and bake for 45 minutes. To test if it’s done, tap it sharply on the underside – it should sound hollow. If not, cook for a further 5 minutes. When ready, turn out of the tin and cool on a wire rack. Once cooled, cut into slices and top with strips of smoked salmon and a dollop of crème fraiche.