Chocolate Sourdough Bread

Ingredients

• 150 grams active sourdough start
• 350 grams water
• 50 grams granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 500 grams bread flour
• 50 grams cocoa powder
• 10 grams salt
• 2 cups chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Put your sourdough start, water, sugar and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and mix together.

2. Next add your flour and cocoa powder. Continue to mix together until it comes together.

3. Let it sit for 1 hour to autolyse.

4. Next add your salt and chocolate chips and combine until it is all thoroughly mixed.

5. Now start the stretch and folds. I like to do 3-4 every 20 minutes, so it should take you about 1 hour. Stretch and fold the dough 4 times each, making sure to get all the dough.

6. Once you are done with the stretch and fold there are two courses you can take: (1) Cover and let it sit overnight on your counter (this means you want to do all of the steps prior at night), OR (2) Let sit for bulk ferment for 4-6 hours or until it has almost doubled, then shape it and put it in the fridge overnight.

7. If you let it sit overnight, in the morning, you will shape it, place it in banneton baskets seam side up and then let it rise for 1 hour.

8. You will then score the top of the dough and bake it in a preheated 425 degree oven for 40-50 minutes. I like to bake it in a preheated covered dutch oven.

9. If you let it bulk ferment in the fridge overnight, you will take it out in the morning and bake the same way, in a preheated oven and dutch oven with a lid for 40-50 minutes.

10. It is harder to tell if it is baked because the dark dough does not show as much of the browning process. Keep an eye on it. If in doubt you can put a thermometer in the bread and when it reaches between 160-185 degrees F.

11. Once the bread has cooled completely on a wire rack you can cut a slice and enjoy! I like to serve this with a honey butter, or another sweet spread. Cream cheese strawberry is amazing with it! It is also great by itself.