Chocolate Sourdough Bread

Sourdough bread is not just one recipe, the possibilities are endless—and the more confident you become with the beginner's recipe, the eager you will be to experiment. You may start by changing hydration levels or using different flours and toppings. Add a variety of scoring patterns and techniques, and you can literally bake something unique each time!

This sourdough will make your kitchen smell of chocolate during baking and when slicing. Please note, however, that this is not a sweet bake—if you want this bread to be extra chocolatey and sweet, refer to the tips at the end of the recipe.

Give it a go!

NOTE: For detailed instructions on the techniques used in sourdough bread making, please refer to our beginner's sourdough recipe.

Ingredients:

YIELDS 2 SMALL LOAVES

TOTAL TIME: 24 hours using active starter

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: Dutch oven, proofing baskets/bannetons

CHOCOLATE LEVAIN

• 12g active starter

• 40g strong white bread flour

• 10g dark cocoa powder

• 50g water (27°C/80°F)

• 5g brown sugar

DOUGH

• 115g chocolate levain

• 340g strong white bread flour

• 160g strong wholemeal flour

• 100g T55 French bread flour

• 470g water (27°C/80°F)

• 70g dark chocolate

• 12g fine salt

• 30g honey

• Rice flour, for dusting the bannetons/baskets

Steps

STEP 1

Prepare the levain

The day before baking, in the morning, mix the active starter with water and stir to combine. Add strong white flour, cocoa powder, and sugar and mix until fully incorporated. Cover with a towel and leave at room temperature to double in size (this can take around 4-6 hours).

STEP 2

Autolyse

In a large bowl, combine the chocolate levain with 450g of water (27°C/80°F) and stir to combine. 

Add the three flours to the levain/water mix and combine using your hands, until the flour is fully incorporated. Cover the bowl with a towel and let the dough rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

In the meantime, melt the dark chocolate. Place the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

STEP 3

Start bulk fermentation

Add 12g of salt, honey and the melted dark chocolate (make sure the chocolate is cooled down before adding to the dough) and use your hands to thoroughly incorporate the ingredients into the dough. Knead for a few minutes until it’s smooth and supple. Cover the dough with a towel and leave it at room temperature for 30 minutes. 

STEP 4

Stretch & fold (4x)

Perform four stretch & fold steps, 30 minutes apart.  Once you have completed the four stretch & fold sets, leave the dough to rest for another 1-2 hours.

STEP 5

Pre-shape & bench rest

Once the dough is ready, turn it onto a lightly floured work surface and cut in half using a dough scraper. Dust the top of the dough with a little bit of flour and gently shape the dough into a round.

Repeat with the second dough. Cover with a towel and let rest for 30 minutes.

STEP 6

Final shaping

Shape the dough and place in the baskets. Cover and place in the fridge overnight (about 10-12 hours).

STEP 7

Baking 

The next morning, heat up the oven for about an hour to 250°C/480°F. 

Remove the first dough from the fridge and score a desired pattern. Reduce the oven temperature to 230°C/450°F, place the dough in the Dutch oven and bake for 25 minutes with the lid on. Reduce the temperature to about 210°C/410°F, remove the lid and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool down completely on a wire rack.

Repeat the process with the second dough.

TIMINGS (Guide only)

NOTE: Timings may vary depending on the temperature of your kitchen, flour(s) used, how strong is your starter and other factors, so use the below notes as a guide only and use your judgement when it comes to the various steps described. (Also note that in winter months, your kitchen may be considerably cooler, so proofing may take longer).

10.00am Prepare levain

3.00pm Mix levian with flour and water (autolyse)

3.30pm Add salt and melted chocolate

4.00pm #1st stretch & fold

4.30pm #2 stretch & fold

5.00pm #3 stretch & fold

5.30pm #4 stretch & fold

7.30pm Pre-shape and bench rest

8.00pm Shape and put in the fridge for overnight cold proof 

8.00am (next morning) Turn on the oven

9.00am Score and bake

Tips

• You may want to choose the kind of chocolate that is best suited to your taste. The lower the percentage of cocoa solids in the chocolate, the sweeter the bake will be.

• To boost the chocolate flavour, you can add chocolate chips to the dough in the final stage of the bulk fermentation (use white or milk chocolate chips for extra sweetness).

• Nuts or dried fruit are also a great addition to this sourdough. Cranberries and pistachios are some of our favourites!

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