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This homemade chocolate cherry sourdough blends deep cocoa, tangy dried cherries, and complex naturally fermented dough flavors. The chocolate-dark appearance with fruity bursts creates a handcrafted bread that's perfect from morning till night. After countless trials, we've nailed the ideal mix of tastes and textures.
The unhurried fermentation lets the cocoa and fruit tastes fully blend together. When you cut into it, you'll see a gorgeous flecked inside dotted with cherries and melty chocolate bits.
Essential Components
- Active sourdough starter: Go with starter that's fully bubbling, typically 4-6 hours post-feeding
- Dutch-process cocoa: Gives rich darkness and mellow chocolate taste
- Dried cherries: Look for juicy, soft dried ones for the best bite
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Delivers just the right melt and sweetness
- Bread flour: Extra protein makes better structure
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Process Breakdown
- Getting Your Starter Ready
- Start with lively, bubbly starter at its height. Check if it's ready by seeing if a bit floats in water. It should have a nice sour smell with bubbles all through it.
- First Mix
- Combine flour and cocoa with water until completely wet. Let it sit 20 minutes before adding the starter and salt. It'll look kind of messy at first.
- Building Strength
- Do your stretch and folds, mixing in cherries and chocolate after fold two. Be careful not to squish the add-ins. The dough will get smoother as you go. Make sure to rest between folding sessions.
- Main Rising
- Keep your dough around 75-78°F during the big rise. Watch for it to grow by about half with visible bubbles. It should feel bouncy when you poke it.
Getting the temp right matters a lot for good chocolate distribution. Too hot and your chips will just melt, too cold and your dough won't rise properly.
Handling This Special Dough
The cocoa and fruit change how fast it rises and how you need to handle it. This type of dough needs softer shaping so you don't break up the chocolate chips.
Creating Your Loaf
The dark color makes it hard to see what's happening. Pay attention to how the dough feels and how much it's grown rather than how it looks.
Final Forming Steps
Shape carefully but firmly to create good tension without hurting the mix-ins. You want the cherries and chocolate spread evenly throughout your bread.
We've learned that taking your time during rising gives the best results. Don't rush it—wait for the dough to develop properly.
Bread Overview
This chocolate cherry sourdough brings together old-school bread making with exciting flavors. It always turns out as a gorgeous loaf with interesting taste and just the right texture.
Enjoy this adaptable bread toasted in the morning or as a sweet treat at night. The mix of chocolate, cherries, and that classic sourdough tang makes for an unforgettable baking adventure.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- → How long will it stay fresh?
- This bread will be good for 4 days when kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
- → Can I freeze it?
- Definitely! Slice it up first and seal it in a freezer-safe bag or box. It'll last for up to 3 months that way.
- → How much time does proofing take?
- The dough usually needs 4-12 hours initially to rise, followed by 12-16 hours of chilling in the fridge to cold-proof.
- → What kind of starter should I use?
- An active starter you've recently fed works great. Sourdough discard less than a week old is also fine.
- → Which tools are essential here?
- You'll need a scale, some mixing bowls, a bowl scraper, parchment, a scoring knife or blade, a banneton or lined bowl, and a 6-quart dutch oven.