Chocolate Sourdough Loaf

Make the Dough

1. Mix the ingredients

   Combine active sourdough starter and warm water in a large bowl. Separately, mix brown sugar, flour, salt and cocoa powder in a bowl. Stir to incorporate the ingredients. Add the dry to the wet ingredient and combine with a whisk or fork until a rough dough forms. This is a stiff dough and I find it easier to combine it with my hands than with a dough whisk. 

   

2. Stretch and Folds

   Once the dough is roughly combined, let it rest for 30 minutes then do the first series of stretch and folds. Pick up the end of the dough, lift, and press into the center of the dough. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and do another stretch and fold. Continue around the bowl twice. Let the dough rest 30 minutes before doing another set. Complete 4 rounds of stretch and folds.

4. Bulk Fermentation

   After the stretch and folds, cover the bowl and allow it to rise in a warm spot on the counter for 8-12 hours until the dough has doubled in size.

5. Shaping the Dough

   Shape the dough using an envelope fold, taking the bottom half of the dough up to the middle then the top half of the dough down to the middle. Fold each side to the middle. To further increase the tension, drag the dough towards you with cupped hands.

6. Second Rise

   Move the dough into a banneton or parchment paper lined bowl. Cover with a damp tea towel of plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour at room temperature.

7. Score and Bake

   Preheat the oven to 400F with the Dutch oven inside. Dust the loaf with flour and score so it can expand. Move the bread into the Dutch oven, cover, and bake for 40 minutes. Remove lid and bake an additional 10 minutes. You can confirm the bread is cooked by checking the internal temperature has reached 200F. Remove and let cool before slicing.