Dark bread made with grated carrot, coffee and cacao powder. Perfect winter comfort food! Recipe via 101 Cookbooks after the jump.

Black bread
Prep time: 245 min – Cook time: 45 min

Ingredients
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
320 – 400 ml warm water
1 teaspoon natural cane sugar / brown sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons finely ground espresso beans
70 ml molasses
3 teaspoons caraway seeds, plus more for topping
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
150 g coarsely grated carrot (2 large)
150 g rye flour
425 g bread flour (or unbleached all -purpose flour)
olive oil for kneading and oiling baking sheet
2 tablespoons buttermilk, water, or milk

1. Whisk the yeast with 320 ml of warm water and the sugar. Set aside until foamy, if not try again.
2. Mix the cocao, coffee, molasses, caraway, butter and salt in a small saucepan over medium-low heat ad stir until melted.
3. Combine the lukewarm mixture with the grated carrot and the yeast mixture in a large bowl.
4. Add flour and stir until it becomes a cohesive dough. It it’s too dry add a bit of warm water. If too dry, add flour.
5. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes until it becomes elastic. This can also be done with a mixer using dough hooks.
6. Shape the dough into a ball, rub with a bit of olive oil, and place seam-side down into an oiled bowl.
7. Cover and allow to rise in a warm, cozy place for 1- 2 hours or until the dough increases in size by at least half.
8. At this point, gently press down, with a closed fist, across the surface of the dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter, and coerce into a pleasant-shaped round. Place directly on a very lightly oiled baking sheet, then cover loosely with a floured tea cloth or plastic wrap.
9. Allow to rise in a warm place until nearly doubled in size, another hour. Uncover, brush gently with buttermilk, sprinkle with a dusting of flour, ~1 teaspoon caraway seeds, and use a serrated knife to slash an ‘X’ deeply across the dough (try not to deflate the loaf).
10. Bake for 20 minutes at 425F / 220C. Dial back the heat to 350F / 180C, and bake for another 20-25 minutes, or until the loaf develops a structured, toasted-bottomed crust, and the loaf sounds a bit hollow when you knock on it.

Remove from oven and let cool for at least 15 minutes on a rack before slicing into.