Chocolate Cherry Sourdough Bread

Good

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Feed your starter the night before so you will have the required active amount in the morning

Step 2

Add the flour and water to the stand mixer bowl, mix until combined, then cover and set aside for one hour to allow the flour to fully absorb the water.

Step 3

Add the remaining ingredients (except the cherries and chocolate chips) to the mixer bowl... Start the mixer on low, then increase to medium once the dry ingredients are mostly incorporated... Mix until until well combined and the dough is smooth (roughly 3-5 minutes).

Step 4

Rest the dough for 30 minutes, then extract a dough sample in a straight sided small jar and mark it's starting point.

Step 5

Perform three sets of folds (one stretch and fold, one coil fold, and finally, one lamination fold) 30 minutes apart.

Step 6

During the last lamination fold, stretch the dough out to a square 12-16 inches and scatter 1/4 of the inclusions (cherries/chocolate chips), press them gently into the dough, then fold over 1/3 like a letter... On the new top surface that has no inclusions, sprinkle another 1/4 of the inclusions and fold that 1/3 over then sprinkle another 1/4 of the inclusions.

Step 7

Gently stretch the dough the long way, and fold up 1/3 of that length. Sprinkle the remaining inclusions, then fold it over to make a rough square.

Step 8

Turn over the dough ball rough side down on your work surface and use your hands or bench knife / dough scraper to rotate and pull the dough towards you repeatedly until you have a smooth surface and you have created some tension on top of the dough ball.

Step 9

Return to your proving tray and wait for your dough sample to finish rising to about 40% above the original mark.

Step 10

Lightly flour your work surface and the smooth top of your dough ball and turn it out floured side down on your surface. ... Incorporate the fermentation sample back into the main dough by stretching it out on the sticky side of the main dough.

Step 11

Preshape by gently stretching the dough out into a slightly larger circle, then folding the edges over to the middle.

Step 12

Final shape your loaf, then place in a Banneton that has been liberally dusted with rice flour... Cover with a proving cloth, let sit at room temperature for about one hour, then place in the refrigerator overnight.

Step 13

The next day, preheat your oven and cast iron pan to 450°F for about 60 minutes. Turn your loaf out of the Banneton onto parchment, dust the top with rice flour so your pattern will show, and slash the dough (deeper functional and optional decorative shallow cuts).

Step 14

Place the loaf in the bread pan, add an ice cube to each side away from the loaf, then put the lid on and bake for 25 minutes.

Step 15

Remove the lid and bake until the internal temperature is at least 205°F (10-25 more minutes depending on how you like your crust).

Step 16

Remove from the baking pan and set on a cooling rack for 45-60 minutes before cutting