Chocolate Bread

 A.K.A my latest baking (and eating) compulsion. 

Like all good things... and some not so good ones... this little inkling originated from Tiktok, via Facebook of course. I made it the first time and while good, I felt it needed more hydration. This "newly tweaked" version was the bees knees though! Best we write this down - lest it get forgotten. 

Recipe: 

100g starter

360g water (90-100 F)

9g salt

50g cocoa powder + warm water

50g brown sugar

500g flour

115g chocolate chips

In a small bowl, mix the cocoa powder with enough warm water to make a thick paste. 

Set it aside for 5 mins.

In a large bowl, mix the starter with water, salt, sugar. Add the cocoa paste and mix well.

Add the flour and mix to a shaggy dough. Let it autolyze for an hour or so.

Add chocolate chips to the dough during first two stretch and folds, 30 mins apart. 

Do another two stretch and folds. 

Sit at room temp until at least 50-75% risen. (IMHO about 4-6 hours)

Shape and place in cold proofing bowl lined with cotton napkin. Rest 30 mins.

Put in fridge for 16+ hours then remove and sit on counter for an hour.

Turn out onto parchment, shape a bit more, dust with rice flour and score.

Add to the Dutch oven with 2 ice cubes under the parchment. 

Cook 30 mins at 450F. Uncover and cook another 20 mins at 430F. 

Remove to cooling rack and DO NOT cut for at least 2 hours. 

We like it with a thin spread of butter, but LOVE it with a schmear of Nutella too!

Gosh I hope that when I repeat the heck out of this, the result is equally delicious. Every. Single. Time.