Chocolate Sourdough Bread
1361kcal
Ingredients
Sourdough Starter Levain (Night Before)
- 5 g Sourdough starter culture
- 35 g Water
- 30 g All-purpose flour or bread flour
- 5 g Rye flour
Chocolate Dough Base
- 300 g Bread flour (100%)
- 15 g Cocoa powder (5%)
- 222 g Water (74% – autolyse mix)
- 24 g Cold water (8% – bassinage water added with salt)
- 15 g Sugar (5% – optional)
- 60 g Active levain (20% – from the stage above)
- 3 g Salt (1%)
Equipment
- Stand Mixer (or large bowl for hand mixing)
- Cast Iron Pan with Lid
- Scoring Lame or Razor Blade
Method
1. Night Before: Build Levain
- 10:00 PM: Whisk 5 g starter into 35 g water. Add 30 g bread/AP flour and 5 g rye flour. Mix well, cover loosely, and rest at 74–78°F (23–26°C) for 8–10 hours until peak volume (triples in size).
2. Autolyse & Mixing
- 7:00 AM (Autolyse): In a mixer bowl, whisk together 300 g bread flour, 15 g cocoa powder, and 222 g water until fully hydrated. Cover and rest for 1 hour.
- 8:00 AM (Levain Integration): Add 60 g peak levain. Mix on low speed (or KitchenAid speed 3) for 2–3 minutes until incorporated. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
- 8:30 AM (Bassinage, Sugar & Salt): Add 15 g sugar, 3 g salt, and 24 g cold water. Mix on low speed for 2–3 minutes, then medium (KitchenAid speed 3) for 5–6 minutes until dough tightens and pulls together cleanly. Rest 30 minutes.
3. Stretch-and-Folds & Bulk Fermentation
- 9:00 AM: 1st Stretch & Fold
- 9:45 AM: 2nd Stretch & Fold
- 10:30 AM: 3rd Stretch & Fold
- 11:15 AM: 4th Stretch & Fold
- Rest untouched for 30 minutes at 76–80°F (24–27°C) until light, bubbly, and risen ~70%–80%.
4. Preshaping, Shaping & Cold Proof
- 11:45 AM (Preshape): Turn dough onto a floured surface, flip floured-side down, fold onto itself, and shape into a loose round. Rest uncovered 30 minutes.
- 12:15 PM (Shape): Flip floured-side down, pull right and left corners inward, roll tightly into a taut log, and transfer seam-side up into a floured proofing basket.
- Cover with plastic wrap, rest at 80°F (27°C) for 15 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator for 14–24 hours cold fermentation.
5. Bake in Cast Iron
- Preheat oven with cast iron pan and lid inside to 500°F (260°C) for 45–60 minutes.
- Invert cold dough onto parchment paper and score cleanly with a lame.
- Bake covered inside the cast iron pan at 500°F for 15 minutes.
- Remove lid, reduce heat to 450°F (232°C), and bake uncovered for 20 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for 2 hours before slicing.
Nutrition
Calories1361kcalCarbohydrates280gProtein44gFat8gSaturated Fat2gPolyunsaturated Fat2gMonounsaturated Fat1gSodium1188mgPotassium579mgFiber15gSugar16gVitamin A6IUCalcium79mgIron6mg
Notes
- The Enzyme Action of Cocoa Powder: Pure cocoa powder is highly absorbent and completely devoid of gluten-forming proteins. Keeping its inclusion capped at a precise 5% (15 grams) ensures that your bread receives an incredibly rich, dark mahogany color and deep chocolate aroma without weighing down or tearing apart the strong wheat gluten network required for a lofty oven spring.
- Why Pre-Whisking the Cocoa is Vital: Cocoa powder is naturally hydrophobic and prone to forming tight, dry clumps when it comes into direct contact with liquids. Always thoroughly whisk the cocoa powder, flour, and sugar together while dry during step 2 before introducing any water. This guarantees a perfectly smooth, homogeneous distribution of chocolate color throughout the entire loaf without leaving dry, bitter pockets in your crumb.
- Managing Fermentation with Sugar Additions: Even a small amount of sugar (or honey) acts as an immediate fuel source for your wild sourdough yeasts. Because the yeast cells consume these simple sugars quickly, a chocolate dough can sometimes ferment slightly faster than a standard lean white loaf. Keep a close eye on your daytime bulk fermentation window, looking for a puffy texture and surface bubbles rather than relying strictly on a timer.