Chocolate Sourdough Bread

4.94 from 29 votes

Chocolate Sourdough Bread is the perfect option for using leftover sourdough discard. Make this sweet bread recipe for a special occasion.

Prep Time30

Cook Time1

combined rise times8

Total Time9 30

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Servings: slices

Calories: 226kcal

Author: Renae Gerhardstein

Equipment

large mixing bowl
dough whisk optional
banneton bowl
silicone liner or parchment paper
bread lame or sharp serrated knife
5-quart Dutch oven with lid
warming mat for proofing

Ingredients

½ cup (100 grams) active sourdough starter fed within 12-24 hours *see notes
1 ½ cups (350 grams) filtered water about 100º F.
4 cups (500 grams) bread flour *see notes for substitutions
¼ cup (50 grams) packed brown sugar *see notes to use honey
½ cup (50 grams) Dutch process cocoa powder
1 ½ teaspoons (9 grams) coarse salt
½ cup (100 grams) chocolate chips

Instructions

In a large bowl, mix together the sourdough starter and warm water. Using a dough whisk or a wooden spoon, stir until dissolved.
Stir in the flour, brown sugar, cocoa powder, and salt until a shaggy looking dough forms. Finish mixing dough by hand in the bowl until the flour has been absorbed.   
Cover the bowl with a clean, damp kitchen towel and let the dough autolyse (rest) for 30-45 minutes.
Lightly flour your countertop. Using a dough scraper or your clean hands, pull the dough from the bowl and transfer to the countertop.
**If the dough is sticky, wet or flour your hands for the next step.
Stretch and fold the dough for 15 seconds by grabbing the edge of the dough and bringing it straight up about 4 inches, then tucking it into the center of the dough.
Turn the dough clockwise 1/4 a turn and continue the stretching/folding/turning process until the dough has come full circle and it has tightened.
Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a damp towel (or plastic wrap if you live in a dry area) and and let rise at room temperature or a warm area (72º to 80º F) for 4-8 hours to rise and ferment.
**See notes on rising times, below. Do not refrigerate the dough.
When properly fermented, the dough should be double in size and look bubbly on the surface and underneath.
Lightly flour your countertop. Pull the dough from the bowl and onto the counter. Make a well in the center of the dough and add the chocolate chips. Then, shape the dough by stretching and folding it again. Let the dough rest 10 – 15 minutes.   
**If you have trouble folding the chocolate chips into the dough, just tuck them into the dough before you pinch it closed.
Line a medium sized bowl with a towel, or use a banneton bowl with linen cover (see photos), and dust heavily with flour. Let dough rise in it for 45-60 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 450º (do not preheat the Dutch oven).
Cover the top of the dough bowl with a long sheet of parchment paper, (about 20 inches long) and turn it over onto the countertop, top side down.
Use a lame or serrated knife to make a few slashes in the top of the loaf. Gently lower the parchment paper and dough into the pot and cover.  
** If using a Dutch Oven with a dark interior, we recommend insulating the bottom with a round silicone baking mat under the parchment paper. Or, you can place the pot on a baking sheet. This helps prevent the bottom crust of the bread from becoming too dark.
Place the covered pot in the the oven and bake the bread for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and continue baking for another 20 minutes.
After 50 minutes, use oven mitts to carefully remove the bread from the pot. Place the loaf directly on the oven rack, and bake for 5-10 minutes to crisp the exterior (if needed).
To ensure the bread is cooked through, you can check the internal temperature. It should be 195ºF to 205ºF.
Let chocolate sourdough bread cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Notes

Active Sourdough starter - fed within 12-24 hours

When we say active, we mean a mature starter that is at least a week old and always doubles in size within 4-6 hours of feeding. It doesn't mean you need to use it at the peak activity after a feeding.

Do not refrigerate the dough! Our recipe does not use a refrigerated rise. If it gets too cold, the fermented yeast will not rise overnight.

Substitutions

To substitute honey for brown sugar, use 50 grams (2 tablespoons) of honey.
To substitute all purpose flour for bread flour, use a 1:1 ratio.
To substitute whole wheat flour for up to one half of the total amount of flour, substitute at a 1:1 ratio.

Rising times will vary according to your room temperature and humidity:
80ºF about 4 hours
75ºF about 6 hours
70ºF about 8 hours
Temperatures under 70ºF can take up to 12 hours.

To make Chocolate Sourdough Bread ahead of time:

Since this bread can take from 4 up to 12 hours to rise, this is a great option for making ahead and eating the next day.

How to Store and Reheat:

Store bread at room temperature in a bread bag for up to 5 days, or read our post for other ways to store sourdough bread.
You can also freeze this bread in an airtight container or bag for up to three months.
To thaw, leave it in the container or bag on the counter overnight or until it’s no longer frozen in the middle.

Nutrition