Chocolate Sourdough Bread
Ingredients
- 415 grams water
- 50 grams Laura Lives The Good Life cacao
- 115 grams active sourdough starter
- 10 grams Redmond sea salt
- 75 grams organic white sugar or coconut sugar
- 550 grams organic all purpose flour
- 100 grams chocolate chips
Instructions
Make the dough
- In a pan over medium low heat, warm the water (do not get the water hot or it may harm the yeast. Baby bottle warm is best). Add the Laura Lives the Good Life cacao powder and whisk until combined.
- Add the water and cacao mixture, starter, salt and sugar to a large mixing bowl. Mix everything to combine. Add the flour and combine well, using a dough hook or your hands. Cover the mixture and let it sit somewhere warm, covered, for 30 minutes (this can sit for up to 2 hours).
Work the dough
- After the 30 minutes, stretch the dough and rotate the bowl several times (stretch and fold technique). Cover and let sit for 30 minutes. Complete 3 sets total of stretch and folds, with 30 minutes in between each set. Let the dough rest somewhere warm for another 2-4 hours.
Shape the dough
- Before turning the dough out of the bowl, perform a set of coil folds (with wet fingertips) to strengthen the dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter (or, if you are experienced in dough handling, no extra flour is needed). Do an initial pre-shape, forming the dough into a loose round loaf shape. Sprinkle lightly with flour, cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
Lamination and Final Shaping
- Stretch the dough into a rectangle. Sprinkle 2/3 of the chocolate chips all over the dough. Lightly press them into the dough. Fold each side so they meet in the center. Add the rest of the chocolate chips. Roll the dough up and create a ball. Pull the ball of dough, while tucking in the bottom and scoot the dough towards yourself several times. This should create surface tension on the dough so it holds its shape. The dough should be round, taut and smooth.
- Place the dough into a floured banneton. Let sit somewhere warm for 1 hour. Cover well and place in refrigerator. Refrigerate for 12 hours and up to 3 days.
Score and Bake the Dough
- Preheat the oven to 500°. Turn the dough onto parchment paper. Using a sharp blade, score the loaf with at least one long cut being 1/2 inch deep, at a 30° angle, or score a cross shape (looks like a plus sign) in the center.
- Place a baking sheet in the oven, the dough in the Dutch oven, and the Dutch oven on the baking sheet to bake (see note). Bake for 25 minutes with the lid on. Turn the temperature down to 425° and bake for 10 minutes with the lid on. Remove the lid and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes. Remove and let cool (at least slightly!) before enjoying.
Notes
-Cacao is a "thirsty" ingredient meaning it absorbs a lot of water. The dough will be thick and somewhat heavy and may take longer to rise that a traditional artisan loaf that is just comprised of water, flour and salt. This is normal! It will turn out beautifully .
-Because of the nature of adding chocolate chips and sugar, this loaf can get dark on the bottom as the sugars caramelize. To prevent the bottom from burning, place your Dutch oven on a baking sheet while baking.
-Feel like it needs more chocolate chips? Measure with your heart when it comes to these! 100g has been a great amount for me.