Chocolate Cherry Sourdough

Chocolate and cherry are a match made in bliss. 🍒🍫 Created by @brettyabish, this rich chocolate sourdough combines tangy rehydrated Fruit Bliss tart cherries with melty dark chocolate for a loaf that’s as decadent as it is delicious.

INGREDIENTS

• 100 g. active sourdough starter
• 335 g. warm water, about 80–85°F
• 450 g. bread flour
• 50 g. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 10 g. salt
• 20 g. brown sugar or honey
• 150 g. Fruit Bliss rehydrated tart cherries
• 100 g. dark chocolate chips
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large bowl, mix the bread flour, cocoa powder, salt, and brown sugar until evenly combined.
2. In a separate bowl, mix the sourdough starter, warm water, and vanilla.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until no dry flour remains. Cover and rest for 30-45 minutes.
4. Complete 4 sets of stretch and folds, spaced about 30 minutes apart.
5. Gently pat the cherries with a paper towel to remove excess surface moisture. During the third set of stretch and folds, gently incorporate the cherries and chocolate chips.
6. After the final stretch and fold, cover the dough and allow it to bulk ferment undisturbed. The dough is ready when it has risen about 50–75%, looks puffy and aerated, has some visible bubbles, and jiggles slightly when the bowl is moved. This may take several hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
7. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently pre-shape. Let it rest for 20 minutes.
8. Complete the final shape and transfer the dough seam-side up into a floured banneton. Cover and refrigerate for 8-16 hours.
9. Preheat a Dutch oven to 450°F for 30-45 minutes.
10. Remove the dough directly from the refrigerator, turn it onto parchment paper, and score.
11. Bake covered at 450°F for 25 minutes. Remove the lid, reduce the temperature to 425°F, and bake for another 20-25 minutes.
12. Allow the loaf to cool completely (at least 1 hour) before slicing.

TIPS

• Rehydrated cherries contain more moisture than traditional dried cherries. Pat away excess surface moisture before adding them, but do not squeeze them dry.
• If the dough feels unusually stiff after mixing, add 10–15 g. additional water.
• Keep the dough covered during bulk fermentation so the surface does not dry out.
• A warm environment around 75-80°F will encourage fermentation. A cool kitchen may significantly increase the bulk fermentation time.
• Watch the dough rather than the clock. Temperature and starter strength can make fermentation times vary considerably.