Great recipes are easy to follow and make us feel like we’re world-class chefs when we serve the food or drinks to our astonished guests. But the best recipes do all of that and come with a special story that we can tell when we’ve finished serving everyone. Such is the case with Club Med’s beloved white chocolate bread, which is served at any of the chain’s 70+ properties but was created at Club Med Sandpiper Bay in Port St. Lucie, Florida.
Years ago, Celestin Theodore was working in the culinary department at Club Med Sandpiper Bay, and he wanted to impress his coworker, Sancha, by making her a very special dish. So, when he was baking a loaf of bread, he simply added some white chocolate chips—never a bad idea—and a signature treat was born. But what makes this a truly great story is knowing that the white chocolate bread did the trick and then some, because Celestin eventually married Sancha.
A delicious treat is made that much better when it is a catalyst for love. And now, you can make Club Med’s white chocolate bread at home. Results may vary, especially if popping the question is involved.
Club Med Sandpiper Bay’s White Chocolate Bread
Ingredients:
- 1.5 cups of flour
- 14 grams of yeast (2 packets)
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2/3 cups of water
- 6 ounces white chocolate chips
How to Make It:
- Place the flour, salt and yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on medium-low or first speed for one minute.
- Add 2/3 of the water at first, then add the rest as needed and mix for 10 minutes. If the dough needs more water, add as needed. The dough should be smooth, homogenous and should not stick to your fingers when you touch it. It should pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- Add the chips and mix for an additional 2-3 minutes or until the chips are well distributed throughout the dough.
- Take the dough out of the bowl and lightly knead into a ball. Let rest for 5 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- After the five minutes of resting, pound the dough flat and then form the dough into the desired shape of the loaf you want. This can be done by folding the dough into the middle and sealing it with your palm. Repeat this procedure until you have formed a loaf shape.
- Place the loaf on a lined sheet pan with silpat or parchment paper and let rest for approximately 45 minutes or until it has doubled in size. If you are in a dry environment, place a damp cloth over the loaf, silpat or parchment paper and let rest for approximately 45 minutes or until it has doubled in size.
- Once the dough has doubled, place in the oven (make sure to place 1/2 cup of water in a pan or directly on the oven bottom to create vapor) and bake approximately 20 minutes at 400°F or until nicely browned on top. Don’t be alarmed if the white chocolate chips exposed are burned, this is normal.
- Once the bread is baked, remove from the oven and let rest on a cooling rack for 10 minutes.
Serve warm.
