Chocolate Cherry Sourdough Bread
Indulge your senses with the luxurious flavors of Chocolate Cherry Sourdough Bread, a show-stopping artisanal loaf brimming with rich cocoa, tart dried cherries, and decadent dark chocolate chunks. This bakery-style bread takes your traditional sourdough to the next level with its soft, chewy texture and perfectly balanced sweetness, enhanced by a touch of honey. Handcrafted using time-honored techniques like autolyse, stretch and folds, and a slow fermentation process, it delivers a deep, complex flavor and a beautifully crackled crust. Ideal for breakfast, dessert, or as a unique addition to a brunch spread, this chocolate sourdough pairs wonderfully with coffee or a smear of mascarpone. Whether you're a seasoned sourdough baker or just looking to try your hand at something extraordinary, this recipe is as rewarding to make as it is to eat.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 400 grams Unbleached bread flour
- 300 ml Water
- 100 grams Active sourdough starter
- 30 grams Cocoa powder
- 8 grams Salt
- 100 grams Dried cherries (unsweetened or sweetened)
- 100 grams Dark chocolate chunks (60-70% cacao)
- 20 grams Honey
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread flour and cocoa powder. Mix well to evenly distribute the cocoa.
Add the water and sourdough starter to the dry ingredients. Mix until a rough dough forms, ensuring all the flour is hydrated.
Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let the dough rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).
After the rest period, add the salt and honey to the dough. Mix thoroughly by hand or using a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment until the ingredients are fully incorporated.
Stretch and fold the dough: Using slightly wet hands, grab one side of the dough, stretch it upward, and fold it over the center. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat 3 more times. Cover and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. Repeat this stretching and folding process 3 more times, with a 30-minute rest period in between.
After the final set of stretches and folds, gently fold in the dried cherries and chocolate chunks, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Cover the dough and let it bulk ferment at room temperature for 4-6 hours, or until it has roughly doubled in size. Alternatively, you can place it in the refrigerator for an overnight fermentation.
After fermentation, lightly flour your work surface and turn the dough out onto it. Shape the dough into a round or oval loaf, depending on your preference.
Place the shaped dough into a lightly floured proofing basket or a bowl lined with a floured kitchen towel. Cover and allow it to proof for 1-2 hours at room temperature, or until it passes the 'poke test' (a gentle poke should spring back slowly).
Preheat your oven to 250°C (475°F) with a Dutch oven or baking stone inside for at least 45 minutes.
Carefully transfer the proofed dough onto a piece of parchment paper. Score the top of the dough with a sharp knife or lame to allow it to expand while baking.
Place the dough (on the parchment paper) into the preheated Dutch oven or onto the baking stone. If using a Dutch oven, cover it with the lid.
Bake for 20 minutes with the lid on, then remove the lid and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the crust is deep brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
2527 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 48.9 g | 63% | |
| Saturated Fat | 26.7 g | 134% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.1 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% | |
| Sodium | 3184 mg | 138% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 474.9 g | 173% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 37.9 g | 135% | |
| Total Sugars | 115.6 g | ||
| Protein | 64.1 g | 128% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 214 mg | 16% | |
| Iron | 18.6 mg | 103% | |
| Potassium | 2053 mg | 44% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
