Chocolate Almond Bread

Dough

1. 1 of 5 In a small saucepan, combine 3/4 cup water, the butter and 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Heat over low heat just until butter is melted. Cool to warm room temp, 110 degrees F to 115 degrees F. Transfer to a large bowl and sprinkle yeast over butter mixture. Let stand 5 minutes, or until yeast is very foamy.
2. 2 of 5 Whisk in eggs, 4 tablespoons of the remaining sugar, 1 cup of the flour and the salt until smooth. Whisk in another cup flour, then stir in 1 1/2 cups of the remaining flour. Knead in as much of the remaining 1/2 cup flour as possible to make a smooth dough. Knead 10 minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 1/4 hours.
3. 3 of 5 Punch down dough; let rest 10 minutes. Filling. In small saucepan, combine almond paste, chocolate chips and heavy cream. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring to break up large chunks. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla extract. Let cool slightly.
4. 4 of 5 Roll dough into two 14 x 10-inch rectangles. Divide Filling between dough rectangles, spreading out to within 1 inch of each edge. Starting on a long side, roll up one rectangle to enclose filling. Pinch all seams tightly to close, and tuck ends under; roll should be about 12 inches long. Repeat with second dough rectangle and remaining filling. Place loaves, seam-side down, on a foil-lined baking sheet. With a sharp knife, make slashes across dough. Cover with plastic and let rise on countertop for 45 minutes.
5. 5 of 5 Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Sprinkle loaves with remaining tablespoon sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes, or until browned. Let cool on pan for 15 minutes, then slice on the diagonal and serve slightly warm.