Allow me to embarrass myself:
When I can’t sleep at night, I think about food. Mostly sourdough bread.
I analyze recipes I. scrutinize them. For whatever reason, I find comfort in this soothing mechanism because it tires out my mind.
This isn’t something new; it all stared when my middle son was born. He had severe colic and screamed his head off from 6am- 6pm for six weeks straight. It was mental torture. I thought about food, bread, and chocolate to keep me sane.
And so, this recipe was born in the wee hours of the morning (after the cat woke me up). I let him outside, and then made a pit stop to feed my sourdough starter before returning to bed. I would bake in the morning.
This is sourdough noir. Bread… with dark chocolate.
How to Make Chocolate Sourdough Noir: a Few Tips
To begin, I added cocoa powder to my already existing recipe for country sourdough.
Round #1: Plain
Round #2: Chopped Chocolate Chunks
Round #3: Chocolate Chips, Dried Fruit + Nuts
The Geeky Stuff:
- My sourdough starter is 50/50 whole wheat + bread flour (fed at 100% hydration)
- 1 hour autolyse
- Salt and fillings added after autolyse
- Stretch and fold every 30 minutes for 2 hours during the bulk rise
- Bulk ferment at room temperature (currently 65 F) overnight, about 12-18 hours
- 2nd proof = approximately 45 minutes- 1 hour
- Bake in Dutch oven at 400 F for 20 minutes (covered) + 40 minutes (uncovered)
- Crack open the oven door during the last 10 minutes of baking to harden the crust
For my bread posts, I always like to include this in-depth beginner’s guide to sourdough for your reference.
Tips:
- You will need a heavy bottom pot or Dutch Oven for baking.
- This bread is best if consumed within the first 1-2 days.
- To freeze, wrap in plastic wrap and then in foil. It should last up to 3 months.
- All ingredients are weighed using a digital kitchen scale for best results.
Chocolate Sourdough Noir
- Yield: 1 Loaf
- Category: Sourdough Recipes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
150g bubbly, active starter
350g water, preferably filtered
50g sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract or 1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped
500g bread flour
50g cocoa powder*
9g fine sea salt
65g chopped walnuts
65g raisins
150g semi sweet chocolate chips
fine ground cornmeal, for dusting
powdered sugar for decoration
* I used Hershey’s Special Dark, a blend of natural and Dutch process cocoas
** You will need a 6 quart Dutch oven for baking
Instructions
- Make the dough: In a large bowl combine the starter, water, sugar and vanilla. Stir with a fork. Sift the bread flour and cocoa powder together and then add to the bowl. Squish everything together with your hands until all of the flour is absorbed. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest (autolyse) for 1 hour.
- To the dough: Add the salt, walnuts, raisins and chocolate chips. Lift and fold the dough over itself several times and squish with your hands to incorporate. The dough will tear slightly as you fold and the salt will not fully dissolve. Don’t worry- this is normal. Work the dough as best you can until it comes back together into a rough ball.
- Bulk fermentation: Cover your bowl with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel. Leave it in a warm spot to rise. Your dough is ready when it no longer looks dense and has increased in volume about 1½- 2x its original size. This can take anywhere from 3-12 hours depending on the temperature of your ingredients, the potency of your starter and surrounding environment. *See note below. Optional Step: about 30 minutes into the start of the bulk rise, you can stretch and fold the dough.
- Stretch & fold: To strengthen your dough, do a series of stretch and folds every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours of bulk fermentation. Simply gather a portion of the dough, stretch it upwards and then fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl ¼ turn and repeat until you have come full circle. You will have completed 4 folds. Try to keep the fillings tucked into the dough and not on the outside. This will prevent burning when baked.
- Shape the dough: To cut and shape the dough, divide your work surface in half; lightly flour one side (for cutting) and leave the other half clean (for shaping). Remove the dough from the bowl and place onto the floured section. You do not need to ‘punch down’ the dough; it will gently deflate as you fold and shape it. Cut the dough in half to make 2 loaves, or leave it whole for a single loaf. To shape, use a bench scraper to move your dough to the non-floured section (if there is any flour present it will be difficult to shape- brush away any excess). Gather the dough, one side at a time, and fold it into the center. Flip the dough over and place it seam side down. Using your hands, gently cup the sides of the dough and rotate it using quarter turns in a circular motion. You can also pull it towards you to even out its shape. Repeat this process until you are happy with its appearance.
- Second rise: Place the dough into a cloth lined 8-inch bowl, or floured/lined proofing basket. It will need to rise again, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. It is ready when the dough is slightly puffy.
- Preparing the baking vessel: Preheat your oven to 400F. Generously coat the bottom of a Dutch oven(s) with cornmeal to prevent sticking. Carefully invert the dough into the pot. Use your hand to gently guide it in.
- Slash the dough: Right before your bread goes into the oven, make a shallow slash about 2 inches long in the center of the dough. Use a bread lame, sharp pairing or serrated knife.
- Bake the bread: Place your bread into the oven (lid on) and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the lid, and continue to bake (uncovered) for an additional 40 minutes. During the last 10 minutes of baking, crack open the oven door. This allows the moisture to escape, leaving your bread with a crisp crust. You can also take the internal temperature of your bread to double check that it is done. For sourdough, it should read about 205 F.
- Cool: Remove the bread from the oven, and cool on a wire rack for at least an hour before slicing.
- Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
Because sourdough does not contain commercial yeast, it takes considerably longer to rise. In the summer months, it can take anywhere between 3-4 hours @ 85 F whereas in the winter, about 8-12+ hours @ 65 F. In the winter, I make my dough in the afternoon and leave it to rise overnight at room temperature. In the warmer months, I bulk ferment in the fridge to slow down the rise time.
Keywords: sourdough, sourdough recipes, sourdough bread, chocolate sourdough, sourdough noir, sourdough starter
Comments
Chris says
Question: Do we place the Dutch oven in the oven during preheT stage?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Chris! It’s up to you. If you prefer to preheat, you are more than welcome to do so. If not, you can place the dough straight into the pot. I’ve found that both methods work; it usually comes down to the bakers’ preference.
Diana says
Just baked this today and ate it with my afternoon coffee. Not overly sweet, which is great. I added dates and slivered almonds instead. Next time I’ll make it without the nuts and into a sandwich loaf as a treat for my 4 and 3 year old.
Elœ says
This was so good. I made it with 250ml red wine that I had to use up and 100ml of water. Folds were a bit tough and I couldn’t see or feel much air in the dough after them. I was skeptical it would rise at all, but it did (as much as I can get with my no-Dutch-oven method). The texture was pleasant, springy, and moist, with crunchy and sweet bits throughout. This was my first successful sourdough with add-ins. Thanks for your recipes!
★★★★★
HeatherZ says
Great recipe! I baked it for the first time yesterday and am thrilled at how well it turned out. Absolutely delicious and a bit unique!
★★★★★
Emilie Raffa says
Thanks Heather! Glad you liked it! :)
Rob Etheridge says
Dear Emilie,
Your Sourdough Chocolate Noir has to be the best Sourdough I have ever made!
It was perfect! The taste, the crust, the texture… All amazing!
Thank you so much for sharing this outstanding recipe. I have already begun a second loaf!
I’m not sure if you think this is necessary but I added 2 tbsp of Vital Wheat Gluten.
Again, thanks for such a delicious recipe!
To you and your loved ones: Take care and be safe.
★★★★★
Emilie Raffa says
Rob, thanks so much for your kinds words! Very thoughtful and much appreciated :) Re: the vital wheat gluten, honestly, I don’t work with it often. My bakes typically follow long, slow rises which gives the dough ample time for gluten development. However, I love experimentation- let us know how it goes!
Mariëtte says
Would it be possible to do the “stretch and folds” with a mixer with dough hook untill windowpane is achieved? I have pain in my hands…thank you!
★★★★★
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! No worries at all- you can certainly use a stand mixer & dough hook to knead the dough. After the dough has rested for 1 hour, run the mixer for 5-8 minutes on medium low speed. Add the fillings towards the end.
Mark says
This is a “wow” recipe for sure…. Came together very easily. After the bulk fermentation (about 8 hours), refrigerated overnight, then continued with the recipe the next morning. Perfect loaf!
★★★★★
Emilie Raffa says
Mark, thanks so much for your feedback! Glad you liked it :)
Roxanne Nicole Buckman says
Hi! I’m currently making this recipe. The dough was VERY stiff when I tried putting it all together. I had to add more water just to be able to work in all the flour, and it’s still very dry. Is this normal? I don’t have a lot of baking experience but usually my doughs always seem to wet!
Jaquie says
I love your book! Have just made your chocolate peanut butter chip loaf with white choc chips and it came out really well. I’m curious to know why this Sourdough Noir has a much higher amount of starter compared with the one in your recipe book?
Cristina V says
This is absolutely delicious. I made it last night and baked it today. I did forget to add the starter at first but no worries I added it after mixing in the flour and it was still great. I also used a high temp about 230 degrees celsius. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I will probably bake this on a regular basis now.
★★★★★
Gary says
Wow, this is a bit special! Only problem is how to stop myself eating the lot. Stuck to the recipe other than subbing sultanas for raisins. Perfect just with butter
★★★★★
Emilie Raffa says
A very good problem indeed ;) Glad you liked it!
Oona Smyth says
Just a quick note for anyone wanting to do an overnight retardation. I left the bannetons in a cold fridge overnight. I took them out in the morning and left them on the counter in a reasonably warm room for about 3 hours before baking . As I said in my first comment, the bread was amazing and oven spring was also really good!
Ali says
I just got mine out of the fridge this morning and while risen some, the top part is now quite tough. Is this normal? I had covered it with plastic wrap while refrigerated. The bottom still feels soft.
Also, other recipes warm up the Dutch oven in the oven rather than placing it right into a hot oven. I’m new to using a Dutch oven, so wondering if it’s okay to put it in without warming it up first.
Oona says
I wanted to up my sourdough-making game with something completely new so tried your sourdough noir. I replaced raisins and walnuts with dried cherries and almonds but followed all your other indications. I kind of gave up on the stretch and folds because while the dough was elastic it lacked extensibility (maybe due to the sugar or other additions). Anyway the final result was amazing! I had it for breakfast with a homemade sour cherry jam and had to exercise great self control not to eat more than four slices!
★★★★
Angela Choi says
This is my favorite sourdough recipe! Thank you. It turned out perfect in every way!
Emilie Raffa says
Thank you Angela!
Santy says
Hi Emelie,
Do I need preheat oven 1 hour before?
★★★★★
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! 45 minutes to 1 hour should be sufficient. I usually do this during the second rise. Updated the recipe to clarify :)
Santy says
Thank you for your speedy response, Emelie.
Emilie Raffa says
My pleasure :)
Santy says
This bread is amazing. I like sweet, so I added 50 gr more sugar, subtituded raisin with cranberries and subtituded water with coffee. I let my bread rise outside in my balcony ( it was around 8 C degrees) This is my new favorite bread. Tummen upp for you recipe, Emelie.
★★★★★
Emilie Raffa says
Love the coffee addition! Perfect if you have any leftover from the morning :)
Christine Nesbitt says
This is a delicious loaf and goes well with coffee. I will say that the dough is much stiffer than normal sourdough.
★★★★★
Martina says
Oh. My. Goddess.
I’ve made yeast-dough chocolate bread before, and it was always pretty good. This is just a whole new level of bread deliciousness. The crumb is tender and open, the flavor is chocolatey but not sweet and cloying, the crust is ever-so-slightly chewy, but still had some give when sliced. I wish I could post a photo.
I didn’t add nuts, and I used dried Montmorency (tart) cherries (using up pantry ingredients.) I have used chopped up dark chocolate bars when I’ve baked chocolate bread in the past, and I don’t remember how it turned out – I will try it that way in the future, but this time I heeded your advice and used chocolate chips
Next time I think I’ll add filberts (the Pacific Northwest word for hazelnuts). I think peanuts or almonds, and raisins, would be really fabulous (think Cadbury Fruit & Nut)
I made a cream cheese-butter-powdered sugar spread (like a less-sweet buttercream) and, of course, ate way too much of this spectacular bread. After a day, I had to slice it and put it in the freezer to keep from outgrowing all my clothes!
Emilie, you are just wonderful and I am so grateful I found your website years ago. I’m super pleased with your sourdough book. You have elevated my baking, not just the finished product, but the process, as well.
★★★★★
SUKANYA says
Thank you for answering my query. I again read your whole blog properly and feel that going with chocolate chips is probably a safer bet.
One more question, the current temperature here in India is 29C during the day. How long should I ideally bulk ferment? Do I need to also do the overnight cold proof in the refrigerator? If yes, How long?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! In warmer temperatures, the dough will rise a lot faster. You’ll need to make adjustments to your baking schedule to compensate- all normal. At 29 C I can’t tell you exactly how long the dough will take to rise (there are so many variables). But basically, the dough needs to double in size- perhaps 4 hrs? Next time, rise the dough during the day and either chill the whole bowl overnight. Or, shape the dough first and then chill overnight. Bake the following morning.
SUKANYA says
Okay I will follow that schedule, and let you know how my bread went. Thanks a lot for your advice!
Sukanya says
Hi Emilie! Just wanted to let you know that I tried your recipe over the weekend and it was really nice! Due to higher temperatures here, I bulk fermented for 5 hours and then did an overnight cold proof in the refrigerator like you had suggested. The bread came out great! I added dried cranberries during the lamination as that was the only thing I had in my pantry. However,I added coconut sugar instead of white sugar and increased the quantity of the coconut sugar to 75g, as coconut sugar is usually less sweet as compared to white sugar. But my bread was not sweet at all, and only had a sour taste, which I though wasn’t great considering its supposed to be a chocolate bread with fruits and nuts. What would you thin I did wrong?
★★★★★
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! You didn’t do anything wrong :) It’s the temperature. Oftentimes, when you bulk at a warm temperature followed by an overnight proof in the fridge, the dough develops a more ‘sour’ flavor. Next time, try mixing the dough earlier in the day, perhaps in the morning, and do a same day bake.
SUKANYA says
Okay sure! Thanks! But if I am adding coconut sugar should the quantity remain the same as white sugar or be increased?
Sukanya says
Hi, I want to know that instead of adding the chocolate chips, if i cut small chunks of dark chocolate and add into the bread, will it work?
Emilie Raffa says
This is a great question- it all depends. Chocolate chips typically have stabilizers, which prevent them from melting (think chocolate chip cookies). Dark chocolate from a bar may not. You will have to experiment!
Andy says
This recipe ended up a disaster over here but I believe it was my mistake! I only had red fife on hand and used this instead. It rises less, much slower and has a stronger taste so it was a really bad idea in hindsight! :D My chocolate chips and cocoa were also too bitter for this. I ended up with a heavy, dense brick that contains so much bitterness that it will suck the fun out of you! XD It looked really good and I’m pretty sure you’re recipe works well though, just mistakes were made!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Andy! The thing about bread, is that each recipe is formulated to work with a specific type of flour and a certain amount of water- it’s like a special formula. And when you make changes (we all do this) it may or may not work out. Unfortunately, this was the case for you! But now you know for next time :)
Kathryn Smith says
Okay. This recipe blew my mind. It might be the best thing I’ve ever made. I did pecans and chocolate chips and it was a winning combo. The texture was out of this world. Went with a higher temp bake for shorter 45 @450. Obsessed with this!
★★★★★
Emilie Raffa says
Ooo, Kathryn, the pecan/chocolate chip combo sounds so yummy. I need to use pecans more often- they’re delicious (especially toasted)! Super thrilled to hear you enjoyed the sourdough. Thanks again for your kind words! xx
Michelle says
Can you use unsweetened cocoa powder and if so how would you adjust the sugar?
Lynne Turner says
AMAZING recipe!
It is SO GOOD that I often have a hard time stopping eating it all by myself (and I’m not even a big fan of chocolate…don’t tell anyone). Sometimes I add a little candied ginger diced up, or dried cranberries or whatever dried fruits I have on hand. Delish!
Highly recommend this recipe.
Thank you for it!
Question: what do you think of substituting some dark beer for water??
★★★★★
Emilie Raffa says
Oooo, Lynne the candied ginger sounds SO GOOD! Yum! Regarding the beer, I haven’t tried it in this recipe, but I’ve baked with it before and it works! You might want to do a combo of beer/water. Dark coffee is another delicious idea :)
Susan says
I made a half recipe. Do you have any advise about how the baking time should be modified? I am so excited about this! Somehow in these pandemic times chocolate helps! Thank you.
Rose says
Hi Emilie, in your geeky stuff, you wrote bulk ferment for 3-12 hours before stretch and fold but in your recipe directions, stretch and fold comes first before bulk ferment. Which one is accurate? Do you recommend flour as oppose to rice flour to line the proofing basket for this recipe? Can the score be on the side or scoring on top is better? Thank you so much!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Rose! In the geeky stuff section is says “Stretch and fold every 30 minutes for 2 hours during the bulk rise.” This means the the S&F technique actually happens during the bulk rise. This is also indicated in the recipe directions below as an optional step. For the flour, you can use either one! When scoring, can you clarify what you mean by on the side? Scoring is typically done on the top, but perhaps I’m missing something :)
Rose says
Hi Emilie, I appreciate your quick response! What I meant about scoring is making a shallow cut at the side of the bread instead of on top so that cut doesn’t show on top. Thank you so much!
Emilie Raffa says
Sure! I don’t see why not!
Monica says
Hello! I am a sourdough newbie, but have made a few respectable loaves 🙂. I prepared the dough for this bread yesterday and then put it in the fridge for the bulk fermentation. In re-reading the instructions, I think I could have left it out overnight as our house is chilly enough. I just took it out of the fridge & it has not risen at all. Should I let it sit for several hours at room temp and let it proof before shaping? Thank you!
Emilie Raffa says
Monica, with sourdough, I do not recommend putting the dough in the fridge for the bulk rise (it won’t rise much, as you’ve experienced). To answer your question: yes, let it sit at room temperature until the dough doubles in size. Enjoy!
Yvonne says
Just as a response to the above question. The first time I made this I did the bulk rise in the refrigerator, but now our house is usually 65 or below at night, and so I leave it out bc under your “Geeky Stuff” in the recipe you said you did the bulk ferment at room temperature about 65. So that’s what I’ve done when I’ve made it a few times in recent weeks. Worked great. I usually plan on about 12 hours.
Yvonne Shorb says
I absolutely love this recipe. I have made it several times…..I used to buy something similar at a local bakery, but now I can make my own! I use dried cherries in it. I decided to make it for gifts this year, and divided it into three loaves….each about a lb. So excited!!
★★★★★
Emilie Raffa says
Yay! Love this! Enjoy, Yvonne :)
Heather says
First time I made this recipe I left it alone, except the raisins, I just can’t, and it was absolutely wonderful. Second time I switched it up a bit and made Mexican Hot Chocolate bread using Mexican hot chocolate mix I made from scratch and swapping pepitas for walnuts. Heaven. It was amazing.
★★★★★
Emilie Raffa says
OMG AMAZING. Love it. Thanks so much for sharing! xx
Shelly says
I’ve made this twice and really like it. It’s my husband’s favorite sourdough recipe that I’ve made to date! I omit the raisins and replace them with an equal weight of chocolate chips and walnuts to make up for the weight of the raisins.
★★★★★
Ann says
Thank you, Emilie!
★★★★★
Cheryl says
I now make this every weekend- I divide the dough and bake two loaves side by side in my roasting pan. My neighbours are gifted one loaf just so I don’t eat them both! Love it toasted with butter on day 3.
★★★★★
Ann says
I made this without raisins and it’s really good. If I would like a slightly sweeter bread without dried fruits, how much sugar can I add to the dough? Thank you!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Ann! To be honest, I’m not sure exactly. You can try doubling it to start (although this recipe will never taste sweet like cake). Enjoy!
Sophie says
This looks so delicious! I’d love to make it into dark choc fruit buns. If I divided the dough into multiple buns would I need to change the recipe in anyway or leave it as is?
Thanks Emilie!
★★★★★
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Sophie! Sounds delicious. I haven’t tested it myself so I’m unable to provide exact specifics. However, I’d bake the buns in a butter coated pan, and decrease the total bake time to compensate for the smaller bun size. If you experiment, please let me know.
Supriya says
Hey, i have tried this once and turned out okay by density but yumm. I am baking it again, can I ask for how long do u preheat your oven for this?
★★★★
Brooke Wilhelm says
This looks divine! Wondering about putting dough in the fridge after shaping…
Thanks!
Emilie Raffa says
Sure, you can do the second rise in the fridge. That will work too :)
Brooke Wilhelm says
Thanks for quick reply :) can’t wait to try this!
Emilie Raffa says
No worries! You know, just one more thing: if doing an overnight second rise in the fridge, start the beginning mixing process in the afternoon (say, around 1 or 2) to avoid over proofed dough in the morning. Enjoy!
Brooke Wilhelm says
I cannot describe my joy…oh is this good!!
Thank u!!
★★★★★
Guest says
Is this best eaten warm or room temperature?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! Either way is fine :)
Anna says
Hi! I’m making this bread this weekend and I CANNOT WAIT. It seems like this is a pretty stiff dough. After shaping, does it absolutely need to be proofed in a basket or could it hold its shape just on the counter?
Emilie Raffa says
Great question! If you find that the dough is stiff, you can definitely do a freeform second rise. However, to be on the safe side (and to prevent spreading) you can line an 8-inch bowl with a floured cloth if you don’t have a proofing basket. Enjoy!
Karla says
I baked this as part of my weekend sourdough baking ritual. I LOVED EACH PIECE OF THIS. Not too sweet but sweet enough and this dough, MY GOOOOOD. My faith was restored 💖. I tagged you on IG when my loaf got out of the oven
Emilie Raffa says
OMG yay! Glad you liked it! What is your IG handle?
paul jones says
sugar free version? how about raw cacao nibs?
Emilie Raffa says
Haven’t tried it, but I don’t see why not! ;)
Joy``` says
Hi Emilie, I’m new to SD baking as well as your website. I’m still learning and I was hoping to be able to bake this bread as I love chocolate! Just 1 question…the dutch oven I have is only 5 quart. Do you think 1 entire loaf can still fit inside or do I have to divide the dough into 2? Thank you!
Emilie Raffa says
Absolutely! A 5 qt will definitely work. No need to split into (2x) loaves :)