Delightful bread filled with chocolatey goodness!
This chocolate swirl loaf of my favourite loaf to make as I love anything that has to do with chocolate. This recipe is a definitely a keeper for chocolate lovers and have taken me a few attempts to perfect the recipe.
Attempt #1: I added cocoa powder to my simple sourdough loaf recipe. The texture was soft but I felt like it was missing the chocolatey taste.
Attempt #2: For the second try, I decided to add some chocolate chips to balance out the bitterness of cocoa powder. The result were amazing as it hit all the right notes flavour wise but the chocolate chips on the surface melted. I decided to give it another go to make it even better.
Attempt #3: This time, why not make challenge myself? So I divided the recipe into two, where one was plain and the other with cocoa powder. So as to ensure not too many of the chocolate chips pop up on top of the dough, I added in the chocolate chips at the later stages of the bulk fermentation. The end result of amazing not only in terms of taste but aestheticly pleasing as well.
If you would like to try out this recipe and don’t have a starter, please visit Sourdough Starter Guide for more details.
For more guidance on baking sourdough, please visit Sourdough Baking.
Listed below are some of the baking tools you will need to prepare beforehand.
- Digital Weighing Scale
- Digital Thermometer
- Dough scraper
- Bulk Fermentation Container
- Dutch Oven
- Mixing bowl
- Bread Lame / Sharp Knife
- Banneton basket / Big Round Bowl
To learn more details about baking tools, please visit Baking Tools and Supplies.
How to make Chocolate Swirl Sourdough Loaf?
Step 1: Prepare levain
In order to make good sourdough bread, you must first ensure your starter is healthy in order to get a good rise and flavour development. How? By feeding it regularly and getting to know the starter, how long it takes to peak, how it looks at “peak”. In a small container, mix the liquid starter and use it at peak. It works best when the starter is thick in consistency and rises at least 2 times or more.
The most common ratio used to prepare a levain is 1:1:1 ratio. That means, equal amounts of starter, water and flour to make up 60g of levain. Prepare the levain by mixing 30g starter, 30g water and 30g flour. The remaining 30g unused portion, aka starter, will be kept for future use.
Step 2: Mix the plain and chocolate dough separately
Plain dough: In a large bowl, combine the levain and water before adding the flour and salt. Mix everything together until no dry flour bits remain. It will look like a sticky, shaggy dough. Let the dough rest for 20 minutes.
Chocolate dough: Repeat the same process for the plain dough and let the dough rest for 20 minutes.
Step 3: Bulk Fermentation
For this recipe, we will need to perform 2 sets of stretch and fold separately with 30 minutes timed intervals before combining both the doughs together before finishing it off with another 1 or 2 sets of stretch and fold.
To perform stretch and fold, dampen your hands, grab the outer edge of the dough, carefully pull to stretch it out a little, and fold it in toward the center. Continue grabbing, pulling, and folding the dough until you’ve gone all the way around, about 3-4 times, more if needed. Flip the dough over, round the dough into a ball and let it rest before repeating the same process.
At the third stretch and fold, it is time to combine the plain and chocolate dough together as shown in the photo below. Let the dough rest for 20-30 minutes before performing the next stretch and fold.
Step 4: Preshape
At the end of bulk fermentation, the dough should have risen 20-30%. It will be bubbly, smooth and elastic. Turn the dough into a lightly flour surface and gently shape the dough into a boule or batard shape. Let the dough rest for 20 minutes before performing final shaping.
Step 5: Final Shape
Once the dough has rested and relaxed, it is time to do the final shaping before placing the dough seam side up into a proofing bowl (like a banneton basket or round container) sprinkled with rice flour.
Step 6: Final Proofing
Cover the banneton basket with a cloth or a plastic bag and seal it shut with a rubber band. Place the basket in the refrigerator and let it proof overnight. The next morning check how much the dough has risen and see whether any further proofing is necessary.
Step 7A: Score
The next day, preheat the Dutch oven to 220°C for 30 minutes or longer till it reaches the required temperature.
While the oven is preheating, remove the dough from the refrigerator and turnout the dough onto a piece of parchment paper or bread sling. Using a bread lame, sharp knife or blade, one slash at the side of the dough at 45 degrees angle at about 1/2 inch deep. Alternatively, you can score a decorative pattern (like an owl) before doing a control slash at the side.
Step 7B: Bake
Using oven gloves, carefully remove the lid of the hot dutch oven and place the dough into the dutch oven. Bake the dough in Dutch oven with a lid at 220°C for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, remove the lid and bake at 200°C for another 13-15 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 96-99°C.
Step 8: Cooling and Storage
Remove the bread from the oven and transfer the bread to a wire rack and let it cool completely for about 2-3 hours to 35-38°C before cutting into it. Cutting into a warm bread may result in a gummy and sticky bread.
Store the bread at room temperature for about 2-3 days using a cotton bread bag or wrap in a large tea towel to keep the moisture in or keep it in an airtight container. For longer term storage, store the bread in the freezer. Slice up the bread and individually wrap it in parchment paper or beeswax wrap before placing it in a ziplock bag.
Note: DO NOT store the bread in the fridge as it will cause the bread to stale faster.