Double Chocolate Chip Sourdough

Instructions:

1. Combine active starter and water in a large bowl, mix to combine.

2. Add flour (spooned and leveled), cocoa, sugar, and salt then mix just enough for the flour to be incorporated and form a shaggy dough.

3. Cover the shaggy dough and allow it to sit at room temperature for an 30 minutes undisturbed.

4. After 30 minutes, leaving the dough in the bowl, grab a section of dough, stretch it out, and fold it in. Repeat 8 times, rotating the bowl after every fold and grabbing a new section. The dough should be smooth and fairly elastic by the end. Cover and allow to sit for an additional 30 minutes. 

5. Once an additional 30 minutes has passed, add the chocolate chips and perform another set of stretch and folds, incorporating the chocolate chips. 

6. Cover and allow to sit at room temperature for approximately 8 hours undisturbed (or until it has doubled in size). This could take as little as 6 hours or as long as 12 depending on the temperature of your house. Don't watch a clock, watch your dough!

7. Remove the dough from the bowl retaining as much air as possible. Place on a lightly floured surface and shape into one mini round loaf.

• To shape the dough, lightly stretch each side (left, right, top, and bottom) over to the middle and flip over. Then take your hand and cup the dough (pinky on the counter) and rotate the dough forming it into a round loaf. You will need to do this 3-4 times until the loaf is smooth and round. 

• When shaping, I try to ensure there are no chocolate chips on the outside of the loaf as they may burn when baking. 

8. If you have a round bread banneton, place dough top side down into the well floured banneton, cover, and allow it to rise for 90 minutes. After 90 minutes, place a sheet of parchment paper on the bottom of the loaf and flip the loaf (the top should now be up) onto the parchment paper. Set gently into dutch oven. 

• • • If you do not have a round banneton, line dutch oven with parchment paper and set the formed loaf directly into dutch oven top side up, then cover and rise for 90-180 minutes undisturbed. It should appear fluffy and light when it is ready!

9. During the last rise, preheat oven to 45o Degrees fahrenheit. Let it preheat for at least 30 minutes to fully come up to temperature.

10. Once the dough has doubled in size, take a very sharp knife or bread lame and score the top of the loaf in a half moon shape from the top of the loaf to the bottom. You just need to score the top. Don't be afraid to score deeply, this will help your bread to rise. 

11. Place the loaf in the dutch oven and bake with the lid on for 25 minutes. 

12. After 25 minutes, remove the lid and continue baking for another 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the loaf is 200-205 degrees fahrenheit. 

13. Allow loaf to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

14. Enjoy with homemade butter!