Chocolate Cranberry Sourdough Bread

This sourdough bread recipe pairs chocolate and cranberry for a taste that's decadent, soft, chewy, slightly sweet and a little tart. Pair this delicious cranberry bread with white wine, butter or fancy cheese.

Course Appetizer, Bread

Cuisine American

Keyword chocolate bread, chocolate sourdough bread, cranberry bread, cranberry sourdough bread, sourdough bread

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Resting Time 7

Total Time 8

Servings loafs

Calories 2344kcal

Author Katie

Equipment

large mixing bowl
plastic wrap
proofing basket
Wooden spoon
dutch oven
bench knife
Wire rack
kitchen scale
bread lame with razor blade
Parchment paper
oven mitts

Ingredients

750 g all-purpose flour or bread flour
250 g whole wheat flour
800 g lukewarm water
120 g baking dark chocolate chips
120 g dried cranberries
17 g kosher salt
100 g active starter

Feed sourdough starter

50 g active sourdough starter
100 g whole wheat flour
100 g room temperature water

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Feed sourdough starter.
See ingredients above. Typically your starter will be ready 4-8 hours after feeding. At that point it will have doubled or tripled in size.
Mix ingredients.
In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Then, mix the wet ingredients using your hands, a rubber spatula, or a wooden spoon. Make sure all the ingredients are well combined and your dough feels wet and shaggy.
Let the dough rest.
Cover the large bowl with a tight-fitting lid or plastic wrap. Let the dough rest at room temperature or in a warm place for about 30 minutes.
Do a series of stretches & folds.
After 30 minutes, stretch up the North side of the dough and then fold it over its middle. Give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat the stretch and fold around 5 times or until the bowl comes full circle. Cover the bowl with a lid or saran wrap and do a second stretch and fold. Wait 10 minutes then do the last stretch and fold.
This step, known as stretching and folding, is important because it helps add oxygen into the dough. This step also strengthens the gluten in the dough.
Let the dough rise.
Let the dough rise for 2-3 hours at room temperature and then put it in the fridge overnight, or for 3 hours. The dough will rise slowly and develop flavor.
Shape the dough.
On the next day or after 3 hours, lightly flour your work surface and then scoop out the bread dough. Divide the dough in half and then grab one side of the dough. Pull it out so it builds some tension, and gently bring it toward the dough's center. Be sure to handle the dough gently but firmly so as not to de-gas it. Repeat the same action on the other side of the dough as well as the other two sides.
Form a ball.
Flip the dough over so the seam side is down and lightly dust the top of the dough with flour. Seal the seam underneath the dough by cupping the dough with your hands. Rotate the dough using quarter turns in a circular motion while bringing it towards you. This motion will create tension on the surface of the dough and form it into a smooth tight ball.
Dust the dough.
Next, dust a bread basket with rice flour or rye flour mixed with all-purpose flour. Dust the top of the ball with flour as well. If you don't have a bread basket, feel free to use a bowl or loaf pan. Transfer the dough into the basket seam side up. This mixture will help prevent the dough from sticking to the basket.
Rest the dough.
Put the dough in the fridge overnight, so it can develop a deeper flavor. You can also put it in the freezer for 20 minutes. This will make it firm and easy to score (slice) with a razor or bread lame
Score the dough.
Preheat your oven temperature to 450 degrees. Next, flour your work surface and then place the dough on its, seam side down. Slash the top of the dough either at a 45-degree angle or straight down at 1/4 an inch depth using the bread lame or razor.
Dust the inside of the Dutch oven with the flour mix, then place the dough in it and cover it. Do the same for your second dough.
Bake the bread.
Return the Dutch oven into your preheated oven and bake the bread until it becomes deep golden brown. This will take about 40 minutes.
Rest the bread.
After 40 minutes remove the lid from the Dutch oven and then proceed to set the timer for 5 minutes if the bread still hasn't turned deep brown. Keep a close eye on the bread. After it gets to your preferred color remove it with a wooden spoon or spatula and let it cool on a wire rack.
Devour the bread.
Let the bread rest for about 1 hour or 2 before eating it. Bread that’s eaten immediately tends to have a chewy texture. If you really can't wait, make sure you eat it with melted butter. Bread with melted butter is said to be divine.

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