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Chocolate Sour Sourdough Bread: A Decadent Weekend Treat Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.3 from 55 reviews
  • Author: Kimberly
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus 4–8 hours for starter refresh and 8–16 hours cold retard)
  • Cook Time: 40–50 minutes
  • Total Time: Approximately 16 hours (including starter refresh and cold proofing)
  • Yield: 12 servings (1 large loaf about 900-1000g)
  • Category: Bread
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Artisan, Bakery Style, Contemporary
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

Indulge in this irresistibly rich and deeply chocolatey sourdough bread, perfect as an extraordinary weekend treat. This recipe combines the tangy complexity of naturally leavened sourdough with the intense flavors of unsweetened cocoa and dark chocolate chunks. Enhanced with espresso powder and vanilla or orange zest, this loaf delivers a perfect balance between bittersweet chocolate and subtle sweetness, all wrapped in a crusty, artisan-style bread that features a soft, chewy crumb dotted with melted pockets of chocolate.

Ingredients

Starter

  • Active sourdough starter, recently fed, bubbly and doubled in size (approximately 100g)

Main Dough

  • 450g high-protein bread flour
  • 30g unsweetened natural or Dutch-processed cocoa powder
  • 350ml warm water (about 38–40°C or 100–105°F)
  • 10g fine sea salt
  • 15g brown sugar or granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp espresso powder (optional, about 1g)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or zest of 1 medium orange
  • 120g dark chocolate chips or chunks
  • Optional: 50g chopped hazelnuts or dried fruit

Instructions

  1. Feed Your Sourdough Starter: Refresh your starter 4 to 8 hours before mixing the dough. Keep it in a warm spot until it is bubbly, has doubled in size, and passes the float test. This ensures strong leavening power for your bread.
  2. Mix and Autolyse the Dough: In a large bowl, whisk together bread flour, cocoa powder, and sugar. Add the active starter and warm water, mixing with your hand or dough whisk until no dry flour remains. The dough will look rough and shaggy. Cover and let rest for 30 to 45 minutes to hydrate the flour and start gluten development.
  3. Add Salt and Flavor Boosters: Sprinkle the fine sea salt evenly over the dough along with espresso powder and vanilla extract or orange zest. Pinch and fold gently to incorporate all ingredients into a cohesive, slightly sticky dough. If too dry, wet your hand lightly and add a touch more water rather than flour.
  4. Bulk Fermentation with Stretch and Fold: Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes. Perform a series of stretch and folds: with damp hands, stretch one side of dough up and fold it over the center, rotating the bowl and repeating around all sides. Repeat these sessions 3 to 4 times every 30 minutes over the next 2 hours. After the last fold, gently incorporate dark chocolate chips and any nuts or dried fruit, then let continue fermenting at room temperature until risen by 50–75%, airy, and slightly jiggly (3 to 6 hours).
  5. Pre-Shape and Shape the Loaf: Lightly flour your surface and turn the dough out gently. Use a bench scraper to tuck the edges under, forming a loose round, and rest for 15–20 minutes (bench rest). Shape the dough by stretching into a rough rectangle, folding thirds, and rolling or shaping into a boule or batard with a smooth, taut surface to ensure good oven spring.
  6. Final Proof and Overnight Cold Retard: Flour a proofing basket or line a bowl with a floured towel, place the shaped dough seam-side up inside. Cover and proof at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes until it begins to puff. Then cover well and refrigerate overnight (8–16 hours) for a slow cold ferment that enhances flavor and scoring ease.
  7. Preheat the Oven and Dutch Oven: Place a Dutch oven with lid inside your oven and preheat to 230–250°C (450–480°F) for at least 30 to 45 minutes to ensure good heat retention and develop a crusty artisan bread.
  8. Score and Bake: Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven and line it with parchment paper. Invert the dough onto the parchment with the seam side down. Score the top with a sharp blade to control expansion. Cover with the lid and bake for 20–25 minutes. Remove the lid and bake an additional 15–25 minutes until the crust is deeply browned and the bread sounds hollow when tapped, or the internal temperature reaches 96–98°C (205–208°F).
  9. Cool Completely Before Slicing: Transfer the loaf to a wire rack and cool for at least 1 to 2 hours before slicing. Cooling ensures a stable crumb texture and prevents gumminess, allowing the full chocolate flavors and chewy texture to develop perfectly.

Notes

  • Use a kitchen scale for accurate measurements, especially with flour and starter.
  • Ensure your sourdough starter is active and passes the float test to guarantee a good rise.
  • Choose high-quality unsweetened cocoa powder and dark chocolate for best flavor.
  • Adjust sugar quantity slightly to suit your preferred sweetness level but avoid making it too sweet.
  • The overnight cold retard in the fridge enhances flavor complexity and scoring ease but can be shortened to a minimum of 8 hours.
  • Let bread cool fully before slicing to avoid a gummy crumb.
  • You may add chopped nuts or dried fruit for extra texture and flavor if desired.

Find it online: https://slsrecipes.com/chocolate-sour-sourdough-bread-a-decadent-weekend-treat-recipe/