Chocolate Seeded Sourdough

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, whisk active starter and water together.

2. Add flour, sugar, cocoa, and salt and mix until you get a rough dough. Cover the bowl with a towel and let rest for 30 minutes.

3. After 30 minutes, uncover then stretch and fold dough between 12 – 16 times. A stretch and fold is when you pull the dough from one side up and then over to the other side, cleaning up the dough as you work it into the center.

4. Cover the bowl with the towel and let rest for 45 minutes.

5. Stretch and fold 4 – 6 times. Cover and let rest 45 minutes.

6. Stretch and fold 4 times and then cover the bowl to let the dough rest for 5-8 hours depending on your starter. The dough should double in size at a minimum.

7. Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a clean counter. Shape it into a tight ball. let it rest covered for 15 minutes.

8. Take the ball of dough and stretch it into a rectangle. Take a third of the length of the dough and fold it toward the center. From the opposite side fold the other third into the middle. Now roll the dough up and place seam side on the counter. Shape into the ball.

9. Pour sesame seeds onto the counter. Pick up the tightly wound ball of dough and roll the outer surface in the sesame seeds until the majority of the dough is covered then place sesame seeds down into a rice flour-covered banneton. Cover the banneton with plastic and place it in the refrigerator overnight.

10. The next day, preheat the oven to 500 degrees with your Dutch oven inside. After 15 – 20 minutes at this temperature take the dough out of the refrigerator. Dump unto parchment paper, score, and spray with water using a spray bottle. Remove the Dutch oven and place the parchment paper and dough inside. Cover and place in the hot oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 450 and continue baking for additional 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let the bread cool for 1 -2 hours before cutting.