01/16/2026
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Sourdough
🥣 INGREDIENTS
• 500g Bread flour
• 50g Unsweetened cocoa powder
• 350g Room temperature water
• 65g Active chocolate sourdough starter
• 65g Fresh strawberry sourdough starter
• 10g Fine sea salt
• 2 tsp Vanilla extract (or 1 tsp almond extract for warmth)
• 75g Brown sugar or coconut sugar
• 30g Olive oil or melted butter
• 150g to 200g Chocolate chips or chunks (dark or semi-sweet)
• 50g Freeze-dried strawberry powder
• 75g Fresh strawberries (chopped or roasted, add during folds)
• 1 tsp Espresso powder (optional — enhances chocolate)
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🧰 INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1: Mix the Dough
In a large bowl, combine:
• Starters, water, and mix
• Add cocoa, flour, salt, sugar, vanilla, oil, espresso powder, and strawberry powder
• Mix until a shaggy dough forms
• Cover with plastic or towel, rest 45–60 minutes (autolyse)
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Step 2: Stretch & Folds
Do 4 rounds of stretch and folds, 30 minutes apart.
• Add chocolate chips during 2nd fold
• Add fresh chopped strawberries during 3rd fold
• Be gentle — strawberry pieces will soften the dough
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Step 3: Bulk Fermentation
• Cover the bowl
• Let ferment 4–8 hrs (until puffy + jiggly) depending on room temp
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Step 4: Shape
• Flour surface lightly
• Shape into a round or oval
• (Optional: spread Nutella before shaping for swirl effect)
• Place into banneton or lined bowl seam side up
• Cover tightly
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Step 5: Cold Proof
• Refrigerate for 8–16 hours
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Step 6: Preheat Oven & Dutch Oven
• Preheat to 450°F (232°C)
• Heat Dutch oven inside for 45 min while dough stays chilled
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Step 7: Score & Bake
• Remove dough from fridge, place on parchment
• Score (cross, spiral, or heart pattern for Valentine energy)
• Bake 20 min with lid on
• Bake another 25–30 min with lid off
• Cool at least 1 hr before slicing
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