Orange Chocolate Bread

Makes 4 medium or 12 miniature loaves.

Dissolve about half the sugar in the warm water. Dissolve in the yeast and allow to proof for about 5 minutes. (Please see Recipe Note 2.) Add the remainder of the sugar, the salt, and the all-purpose flour. Stir into a smooth batter. Add the melted butter, the eggs, and the orange juice concentrate, stirring well after each addition. Mix in the chocolate chips. Add bread flour, 1 cup at a time, until you can't stir any more in with the spoon.

Turn the dough onto the work surface. Knead for about 10 minutes, adding flour liberally as necessary. The dough will not entirely lose its stickiness, but it should become smooth and elastic. Place in a large greased bowl and turn the dough over once to coat it. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a very warm place until doubled--about an hour. (This is the real "secret" to this bread: The place where the first rising occurs should be about the temperature of a car in the sun with the windows rolled up so that the chocolate chips smear like a hot candy bar.)

Turn the dough onto the work surface and knead slightly until the chocolate is streaked. The dough will be a little too soft to shape as you would a "normal" loaf, but it's also pliable enough to push into the corners of the pans. Cover with waxed paper and allow to rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. During the last 20 minutes of the second rising, preheat the oven to 325°.

To prepare the sugar syrup for the glaze, dissolve the sugar in the water, and boil for approximately 5 minutes. Allow the syrup to cool to room temperature and brush over the loaves just before putting them in the oven.

Bake at 325° for 30-35 minutes, until the loaves are nicely browned. Allow to cool on a wire rack before slicing. (If you use waxed paper instead of teflon pans, the paper will peel off better after the loaves have had some time to cool.) This bread is as good or better the second day, after the flavors have had a better chance to marry.