Anyone interested in baking will love to try this Dark chocolate and sour cherry sourdough recipe, including my Dofe students on https://ruthslittlekitchen.co.uk/duke-of-edinburgh-dofe-cookery-course/ – however if you don’t want to make a Sourdough loaf, I am sure the chocolate and sour cherries would be delicious in a yeasted loaf. It really is a great combination for a sourdough.

With Easter looming I have been looking at recipes which include chocolate, I am also lucky enough to have been sent a complimentary selection of chocolate from Montezumo’s who make a not only spectacular array of delicious chocolate but they are a company with soul. Do check them out.

So there I was happily flicking through Instagram and suddenly saw a picture of this heavenly sourdough and my heart was captured! The recipe, from Maurizo Leo at https://www.theperfectloaf.com/ ( Give the website a look at  – it is great for tips and fantastic recipes), this was very easy recipe to follow and more or less I followed the timings to a T – I did however just use Shipton Mills No 4 rather than the suggested bread flour and high protein flour. I have slightly tweaked the recipe rounded a few grams up here and there but essentially it is the same.

I used Montezumo’s  Black Forest cherry chocolate which has such an incredible taste and worked

brilliantly with the sour cherries.  It is a first for me – both the chocolate and creating a sweetish sourdough and on all fronts, I was really pleased. I used dried sour cherries, they became soft during the fermentation process however if you want to hydrate them pop them into the water of the main dough, drain before use and add in when indicated in the recipe. Do put the loaf to be cooked on parchment paper – the chocolate will melt.

Day 1 – the night before

LEVAIN

21g (42g) white flour (I used strong bread flour)

21g (42g) whole wheat flour

41g (84g) water

8g ripe sourdough starter, 100% hydration (I used a white starter)

Day 2

MAIN DOUGH

640g white bread flour

80g whole wheat flour

160g dark chocolate chunks (or chips)

160g dried cherries

24g unsweetened cocoa powder

24g vegetable oil

16g caster sugar

475g water 1

40g water 2

14g fine sea salt

Method

Levain (9:00 p.m.) -In a small bowl or jar, mix the levain ingredients. Cover the jar and leave on counter top for 12 hours.

Bloom cocoa powder (8:00 a.m.) Add the oil to a medium saucepan over medium heat and heat until very warm. Add the cocoa powder, whisk continuously until the powder thickens. Remove from the heat, cool.

Autolyse (8:30 a.m) In a mixing bowl, add the flour and water, mix until no dry bits remain. Cover the bowl, rest for 20-minutes.

Mix (9:00 a.m.) Add the sugar, salt, and levain, to the top of the dough, use a splash of water 2 (reserved water) to moisten. Mix thoroughly, add the remainder of the water if a wetter mixture is desired.

Knead the dough, (I did this in my mixer for 4 mins lowest speed or knead for a few minutes either with the slap and fold technique or do folds in the bowl). The dough will begin to feel smooth and elastic. Pour the cocoa onto the dough, mix for another min or slap and fold in. After mixing, fold and put in all bowl/container, cover and leave for bulk fermentation.

Bulk Fermentation (9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.)  Stretch and fold at 30 mins intervals – I folded in the chocolate and cherries on fold 3. Let the dough rest for the remainder of the bulk fermentation.

Divide and Preshape (1:30 p.m.) Pop the dough on a lightly floured surface pre-shape the dough, rest uncovered for 35 mins.

Shape (2:05 p.m.)- Shape and place in floured banneton. Cover

Proof (2:15 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. the next day) -Place the basket into the fridge and leave.

Day 3

Oven on Fan 230^OC, and pop in the Dutch oven or baking pot.

Bake (9:00 a.m.) -Remove banneton from the fridge, turn out the dough on parchment paper (see note), score, add to the hot pot, mist with a little steam, lid on, return the pot to the oven. Bake for 20 mins before removing the lid and baking for a further 30 mins. The internal temp should be 94^oC. Allow to cool before slicing.