UYL Sourdough Chocolate Bread

A very tasty sourdough bread, ideal for those in need of a chocolate fix.

• Ingredients
  • 300g Sourdough starter
  • 300g Strong White Flour
  • 100g Very Strong Wholemeal Flour
  • 160g warm water
  • 40g Cocoa powder
  • 15g Honey
  • 50g Dark chocolate drops (or 100g if you are a chocoholic)
  1. When you are ready to make your chocolate sourdough loaf, take the starter out of the fridge the day before you need it.
  2. Pour out a cupful of the Sourdough starter (300g) into a food processor or mixer bowl. Put the chocolate drops to one side. Add the other ingredients and mix for several minutes (or hand kneading for 10 minutes).
  3. Mix in the chocolate drops carefully last. 
  4. Cover the bowl and leave in a warm place (e.g. warm kitchen or airing cupboard) for about four hours or so. The dough should have doubled in size.
  5. Tip out onto a baking tray or baking stone with minimal shaping using a wet plastic spatula.
  6. Dust with flour and mark with a sharp knife.
  7. Bake in an oven, preheated to 230 degrees C (gas mark 8) for 15  minutes, then turn and reduce heat to 200 degrees C for 15 minutes. Leave for a further 10 minutes with the heat turned off.
  8. Take out the loaf and cool on a wire rack.

Tips

1. When baking bread, place a small ovenproof dish or cup of water on the bottom shelf to raise oven humidity to aid crust formation.
2. Serve slices of sourdough chocolate bread with cream, ice cream, or strawberries or just eat them on their own.