Chocolate Sourdough Bread
This chocolate sourdough bread is soft, chewy, and packed with deep chocolate flavor. It’s made with real cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and vanilla-soaked raisins for sweetness and texture. The dough is naturally leavened with active sourdough starter, and the mixing process takes less than 10 minutes by hand.
The loaf combines rich chocolate chips, crunchy walnuts, and soft raisins to create a balanced texture and flavor in every slice.
Ingredients
- 150 g active sourdough starter
- 350 g water
- 50 g sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 500 g bread flour
- 50 g cocoa powder
- 9 g fine sea salt
- 65 g chopped walnuts
- 65 g raisins
- 150 g semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Powdered sugar (for dusting, optional)
For baking you will need a 6-quart Dutch oven.
Instructions
1. Make the Dough
In a large bowl combine the sourdough starter, water, sugar, and vanilla extract. Stir until combined.
Sift together the bread flour and cocoa powder, then add them to the bowl. Mix everything with your hands until no dry flour remains and a rough dough forms.
Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 1 hour.
During this time you can soak the raisins in a little vanilla for extra flavor. Drain and dry them before adding to the dough.
2. Add Fillings
Add the salt, walnuts, raisins, and chocolate chips to the dough.
Fold the dough over itself several times and gently press it with your hands until the ingredients are evenly mixed. The dough may tear slightly, which is normal.
3. Bulk Fermentation
Cover the bowl and place it in a warm spot to rise.
The dough should expand to about 1½–2 times its original size. Rising time can vary depending on temperature:
- About 10 hours at 68°F
- 5–6 hours at 75°F
- 3–4 hours at 80°F
4. Stretch and Fold
To strengthen the dough, perform stretch and folds every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours.
Grab one side of the dough, stretch it upward, and fold it over the center. Rotate the bowl and repeat until you complete a full circle.
Try to keep the fillings inside the dough so they do not burn during baking.
5. Shape the Dough
Lightly flour your work surface and transfer the dough onto it.
Gently shape the dough by folding the edges toward the center. Turn it seam-side down and rotate it with your hands to create a smooth round shape.
You can bake it as one large loaf or divide it into two smaller loaves.
6. Second Rise
Place the shaped dough into a floured bowl or proofing basket lined with cloth.
Let it rise again for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until slightly puffy.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
7. Score the Dough
Place a piece of parchment paper over the dough and gently flip it out of the bowl.
Using a sharp knife or bread lame, make shallow cuts on the surface of the dough.
Transfer the dough with the parchment paper into the preheated Dutch oven.
8. Bake
Cover the Dutch oven and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the lid and continue baking for 40 minutes until the crust becomes dark and crisp.
During the last 10 minutes, slightly open the oven door to release steam for a crisp crust.
The bread is fully baked when the internal temperature reaches about 205°F (96°C).
9. Cool
Remove the bread from the oven and place it on a wire rack.
Allow it to cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.
Dust with powdered sugar before serving if desired.
