Homemade Chocolate Chip Sourdough Bread Recipe

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 25

Total Time 13 25

Servings 6

Start by weighing out thesourdough starter and water into a large ceramic or glass bowl. Glass isrecommended because you can easily see the dough’s progress. Mix the water andstarter briefly until combined. Next, add the bread flour and salt to the bowl,mixing until you form a shaggy dough. The dough will look rough and uneven, butthat’s exactly what you want at this stage. Cover the bowl with cling film or adamp tea towel and let it rest for 1 hour. This resting period is called autolyse,and it allows the flour to fully hydrate, making it easier to work with inlater steps.

Once the autolyse iscomplete, it’s time to form the dough. Begin by grabbing the dough from thesides of the bowl and stretching it up and over itself. Keep doing this aroundthe bowl until you have formed a smooth ball of dough. You should only needaround 20-30 stretches to achieve this. At first, the dough will be sticky, butas you work with it, it will become smoother and shinier. Once you have a nicedough ball, cover the bowl again with the cling film and let it rest for 30minutes.

Over the next 2 hours, youwill need to develop the dough’s structure by doing “stretch and folds.” Every15 minutes, take a portion of the dough, stretch it up and over, and repeatfour times. This process helps the dough to build strength and elasticity,which is essential for the bread’s texture. Do a total of 4 sets of stretchesand folds. You don’t need to be exact with timing, but aim for 4 sets within 2hours.

After the dough has had itsstretch and fold sessions, it’s time to incorporate the chocolate chips. To dothis, lightly spray your countertop with water and gently dump the dough out ofthe bowl. Stretch the dough out into a rough square shape (don’t worry aboutmaking it perfect). Evenly sprinkle the chocolate chips over the dough, andthen carefully roll the dough into a log. Place the dough back into the bowlfor the bulk ferment.

Cover the dough withplastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rest for several hours at roomtemperature, or refrigerate it overnight. This step allows the dough to riseand develop deeper flavors as it ferments.

After the bulkfermentation, it’s time to shape the dough. You can shape it into a boule(round) or a batard (oval), depending on your preference. To shape, carefullyturn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Fold the edges in toward thecenter, then flip it over, using your hands to tuck and shape the dough intoyour desired form. Transfer the dough to a banneton or a bowllined with a floured tea towel. Make sure to cover it loosely with a damp towelor plastic wrap.

Place the shaped dough inthe fridge for at least 5 hours, but overnight works best. The coldfermentation helps to develop flavor and texture, giving you that signaturetangy sourdough taste.

Once your dough hascompleted the cold ferment, it’s time to prepare for baking. Preheat your ovento 230°C (450°F). Place a Dutch oven inside the oven while itpreheats so it becomes piping hot. Allow the Dutch oven to heat for about 1hour, ensuring it’s ready to bake the bread.

When your oven is fullypreheated, remove the dough from the fridge. Carefully place it onto a piece ofbaking paper. Using a sharp blade or scoring tool, make asingle slash in the top of the dough to help it expand while baking. Take thepreheated Dutch oven out of the oven, and using the baking paper as a handle,carefully lower the dough into the hot pot. Cover the pot with the lid and bakefor 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the lid and bake for an additional10-15 minutes at 210°C (410°F) to get a golden-brown crust