So many choices for this fortnight's theme as there are so many things food things I love including anything French, anything wrapped in pastry - anything that involves the words "High Tea" - and the list goes on and on.

But as I was heading off to watch Shakespeare in the Park's - A Comedy of Errors a few weekends back (as previously mentioned here), which involved a great night out with two of my favourite people in the world, I decided to use the opportunity to dedicate dessert to this crazy little theme called love...

Brioche with Chocolate Centres

Cookbook:  Marie Claire Dining  Author:  Donna Hay

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2 cups plain flour | 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast | 1/2 cup warm milk | 1 tsp vanilla essence | 3 tbsp sugar | 2 egg yolks | 125g butter, softened and chopped | 8 large chunks of dark chocolate (abut 15g each) 

1. Place flour and yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Place warm mil, vanilla and sugar in a separate bowl and mix until combined. Add milk mixture and egg yolks to flour and beat on medium speed until dough is a smooth ball. Continue beating, adding butter, a little at a time, until it is all incorporated and well beaten.
2. Cover dough and set aside for 1 1/2 - 2 hours or until it has doubled in size. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until it is soft and elastic, then divide it into 8 pieces. Flatten dough slightly in the palm of your hand. Place a piece of chocolate in the middle of dough and fold over excess dough to enclose.
3. Place brioche in greased and floured dariole moulds or brioche tins, cover and set aside for 1 hour or until it is well risen. Bake in a preheated 180 degrees oven for 15-20 minutes or until brioche are golden brown. Makes 8.

I started to get nervous about half way into the process as I found the dough wasn't rising like it should have - after the first rest it was suppose to have doubled in size - mine hadn't. Arghh!

Time was running out so I decided to just go for it, and if they didn't work I'd just grab something sweet on the way into the park.

I'm so glad I kept going as they turned out beautifully. Elegant, homey, not too sweet but oh so gooey inside. A little like me some might say.....

 Served warm straight from the oven with the chocolate oozing out, or cold like we did at the picnic served with a thermos of tea - superb!

A lovely little dish I intend to make again.

To view my fellow challenger's dishes, please click here

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