Makes: | 2 large or 3 medium boules |
---|---|
Level: | Intermediate |
Created Over: | Mix and bake immediately |
Kind of Bake: | Ambient day – French style – mixed in the morning and baked in the evening |
Chocolate and roast hazelnuts are a classic combination from the book, but I also make a sweet version of the bread with blueberries & white chocolate. Preclinical studies have shown that blueberry supplementation can improve cognitive performance and neural function in older animals and have identified associations between anthocyanins ( the blue colour in blueberries.) So...with the potential to improve my memory it gives me an excuse for a second slice!
I use the chocolate starter to make this loaf, it adds complexity, predominantly lactic acid-producing homofermentative bacteria and bittersweet cocoa notes.
The sourness tends to diminish when this loaf is a few days old, but it rarely lasts that long in our house. I sometimes grate a little nutmeg in on the last stretch and fold. I like to use nutmeg, perhaps because I associate chocolate with the island of Grenada, where the chocolate I use at my School is from - see The Grenada Chocolate Company
It’s a good combination. Personally, I like to add the chocolate and blueberries in the final stages of the stretch and fold.
You might need to adjust the hydration if you are used to handling higher hydration dough - the cocoa is very thirsty.
Equipment
- Medium bowl for mixing leaven
- Clean t-towel or wax cloth
- Large mixing bowl
- Spatula
- Dough scraper
- Lame
- Baking cloche
Suggested Starter
White or Chocolate
Status of Starter
bubbly, lively first-build starter
Hydration
86%
DDT
26°C (79°F)
Flours
- Marriages organic (13% protein) white roller milled
- Gilchesters wholegrain
To Ferment Your Dough
- 25g starter
- 100g wholegrain flour
- 100g water at 30C
For The Dough
- 225g leaven (see above)
- 830g water at 28C (plus another 30-40g if needed)
- 800g strong white flour
- 200g wholegrain flour
- 70g The Grenada Chocolate Company Organic Cocoa
- 15g roasted barley malt
- 20g fine sea salt
- 200g white chocolate in chunks
- 100g of cooked porridge
- 200g fresh blueberries OR 200g sultanas, soaked in warm water overnight and drained well
Baking Time
1 hour in the cloche then take the lid off. Bake for another 10 minutes or so...until it is baked. Each oven is different so adjust as needed.
Bake At
220°C/200°C fan/425°F/gas mark 7
Tutorials
Step | Timings |
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Refresh starter 1st Refreshment | 10am Day 1 |
Refresh starter 2nd Refreshment | 10pm Day 1 |
Plan Your Bake | 9am Day 2 |
Make a leaven | 10am-11am Day 2 |
Mix the water & leaven into dough | 1pm |
Autolyse with leaven | 1pm |
Bassinage | 1.30pm |
Add salt - Start bulk | 2pm |
Stretch and fold | 2.30pm |
Bulk Ends - Now Preshape | 5pm |
Final shaping | 5.30pm |
Put in Fridge 5C | 6pm |
Bake | between 12pm - 5pm Day 3 |
Analyse & Recalibrate | On Eating |
Guidance, tips & techniques
Chocolate and roast hazelnuts are a classic combination from the book, but I also make a sweet version of the bread with blueberries & white chocolate. Preclinical studies have shown that blueberry supplementation can improve cognitive performance and neural function in older animals and have identified associations between anthocyanins ( the blue colour in blueberries.) So. .. with the potential to improve my memory it gives me an excuse for a second slice!
I use the chocolate starter to make this loaf, it adds complexity, predominantly lactic acid-producing homofermentative bacteria, and bittersweet cocoa notes.