The Ultimate Triple Chocolate Sourdough Bread Recipe -

Chocolate sourdough bread sliced on a piece of parchment paper.

Equipment

Bowl
Danish whisk
Measuring cup
Measuring spoon
Scale optional
Banneton basket
Parchment paper
Dutch oven
Bread lame

Ingredients

100 grams active sourdough starter
120 grams brown sugar
500 grams of bread flour
50 grams of cocoa powder
350 grams of lukewarm water (added separately throughout the recipe)
2 tsp vanilla extract
10 grams salt
60 grams white chocolate chips
60 grams milk chocolate chips

Instructions

In a heavy weighted mixing bowl add the cocoa powder and 100 grams of lukewarm water. Using the Danish whisk, whisk until the cocoa powder dissolves and begins to look like a thick syrup.
Add the sourdough starter, 220 grams of water, and vanilla. Using the Danish whisk, whisk until the starter is dissolved in the cocoa water mixture.
Add the flour and brown sugar. Using the Danish whisk mix the flour in the best you can without kneading. It should be a dryish-looking shaggy dough. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and set into your kitchen sink filled about half full with water for 30 minutes. (If you need further explanation of the "sourdough sink method" reference the recipe notes below.)
Next, add the salt and additional 30 grams of water. Using your hands incorporate the salt and water into the dough until it is thoroughly incorporated. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and set in your kitchen sink filled about half full with warm water for 30 minutes.
Begin a series of stretches and folds every 30 minutes over 2 hours. Do this by pulling the dough up as far as it will go and then folding the dough back over. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat this process 4 times. Between each stretch and fold cover with a damp kitchen towel and set into your kitchen sink filled about half full with warm water for 30 minutes.
After the last stretch and fold set the bowl back in your sink of warm water for 3 hours to allow for bulk fermentation. (refresh with fresh warm water if needed) The dough should double in size. If it didn't double in size allow to set for an additional 30 minutes or until it doubles in size.
Turn the dough out onto a very lightly floured surface. Laminate the dough by gently stretching on each side until you have a sheet of dough. Sprinkle on a generous amount of chocolate chips. (Do NOT add them all yet. Save some to be added as you fold the dough so they will be evenly distributed throughout the dough.)
Fold the dough over itself in thirds. Add chocolate chips onto each fold. Add all chocolate chips before rolling the dough up into a ball.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Build tension in the dough by pushing the dough ball up and pulling it back down. When shaping your loaf, be gentle but firm in creating surface tension on the outside of the dough. This will help prevent it from spreading out too much during baking and promote oven spring. Be careful to not pierce the top of the dough with the chocolate chips. You do NOT want chocolate chips to be showing on the outside of the dough anywhere. If they are poking out try pushing them into the dough and pinching the dough closed. If chocolate chips are on the outside of the dough they will scorch.
Place the dough into a Banneton basket and cover. Place into the freezer for 15 – 20 minutes. This will help with the scoring process.
Turn the dough out onto a sheet of parchment paper. Using a bread lame score the dough. Pick the dough up using the parchment paper and place into the cast iron Dutch oven with lid. Put in oven and allow to bake at 425°F for 60 minutes. Do NOT remove the dutch oven lid. Leave the lid on the entire time while baking.

Notes

Sourdough Sink Method

As you'll see in the recipe I like to use what I call the sink method for getting my dough to proof and ready to bake in less than 12 hours. It is simply filling a sink half full with warm water and placing the bowl of dough with a rag overtop in the water. It essentially creates a proofing box. It introduces warmth and humidity which is exactly what a proofing box does. If your house is cold (we like ours 68 year round) then your dough is going to have a hard time proofing. The sourdough sink method as I call it is just a free easy option to help speed the proofing process up without spending hundreds of dollars on a proofing box.

How to Store Triple Chocolate Sourdough Bread

Chocolate sourdough bread should be stored in an airtight container, ziplock bag, or plastic wrap. It can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Before storing the loaf needs to be completely cool. If stored properly it will remain fresh for about 5 days.

Same Day Triple Chocolate Sourdough Bread Schedule

- 9:00 am – Mix cocoa powder, brown sugar, water, sourdough starter, and flour. Mix thoroughly. Set in a water bath for 30 minutes.

- 9:30 am – Add salt and additional water. Mix thoroughly. Set in a water bath for 30 minutes.

- 10:00 am – Stretch and fold. Put back in a warm water bath.

- 10:30 am – Stretch and fold. Put back in a warm water bath.

- 11:00 am – Stretch and fold. Put back in a warm water bath.

- 11:30 am – Stretch and fold. Put back in a warm water bath.

- 2:30 pm – Preheat oven. Remove from warm water bath. Laminate dough. Add chocolate chips. Build tension. Shape.

- 2:45 pm – Place in proofing basket. Put in freezer.

- 3:00 pm – Line Dutch oven with parchment paper. Put dough on parchment paper. Score. Add ice. Put lid on Dutch oven.

- 3:05 pm – Bake at 480°F for 45 minutes.

- 3:50 pm – Turn oven down to 350°F. Remove Dutch oven lid. Bake for 15 minutes.

- 4:05 pm – Remove from oven. Place bread on cooling rack.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 140kcal