Imagine slicing through a crisp, golden crust to reveal a dramatic interior of velvety swirls of dark cocoa and melted chocolate chips. This bread is not just food—it’s a small masterpiece that will impress anyone at the breakfast table. By combining the deep, almost mysterious intensity of black cocoa with the characteristic tang of sourdough, you get a gluten-free bread with a complexity and moisture that’s rarely found. It’s the perfect loaf for days when you want to treat yourself or your guests to something that looks just as amazing as it tastes.
Main INGREDIENTS
- Bread & Cereals
Ingredients
Method
Ingredients
- 400 ml lukewarm water
- 180 g active sourdough starter
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 3 tsp sugar
- 450 g Schär Bread Mix
- 100 g whole grain rice flour
- 12 g Maldon salt
- 200 ml hot water
- 15 g psyllium husk (FiberHusk)
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp black cocoa powder (or 3 tsp regular cocoa powder)
- 50 g dark chocolate chips (bake-stable)
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Method
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1Sourdough Method
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2“No-discard” sourdough (from day 1 to 200 g ready-to-bake starter – approx. 7 days)
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3Phase 1: The Foundation (Day 1–4)
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4Day 1: Mix 25 g whole grain rice flour, 25 g water, and 2 g sugar in a clean jar. Stir well, loosely cover, and leave at room temperature.
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5Day 2 & 3: Stir once daily to incorporate air. It should begin to develop a slightly sour smell.
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6Day 4: When tiny bubbles appear or the mixture smells sour, add 10 g rice flour, 10 g water, and 3 g sugar. Mix well with the existing starter.
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7Phase 2: Building Strength (Day 5–6)
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8Day 5: Add 20 g whole grain rice flour, 20 g water, and 2 g sugar. The starter should begin to rise slightly.
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9Day 6: Add 20 g rice flour, 20 g water, and 2 g sugar. It should smell fresh and tangy and be active with many small bubbles.
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10Phase 3: Levain – Ready to Bake (Day 7)
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11Day 7: Add 30 g whole grain rice flour, 25 g water (slightly less for strength), and 3 g sugar. The consistency should resemble Greek yogurt. The starter is ready when it has doubled in size or reached its peak—typically 4–8 hours after feeding on day 7.
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12Tip: Save a small leftover at the bottom of the jar in the fridge for next time.
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13Whisk the 200 ml hot water with psyllium husk for max. 10 seconds. Let it sit and form a gel while you measure the remaining ingredients. Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl, except cocoa powder and chocolate. Add lukewarm water, oil, vinegar, active sourdough, and the psyllium gel. Mix on low speed until fully combined. Increase to medium speed and mix thoroughly for about 3 minutes.
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14Divide the dough into two equal parts. Keep one half in the bowl. Add cocoa powder to one half and mix on high speed until evenly dark. Lightly moisten a work surface with cold water. Spread the plain dough into a rectangle. Do the same with the dark dough and place it on top.
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15Press the layers together slightly to enlarge the rectangle. Sprinkle chocolate chips and gently press them into the dough. Folding: Fold the bottom halfway toward the center, then fold the top over like a letter. Repeat from the sides.
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16Flatten slightly and roll tightly to fit your proofing tin (e.g. a silicone loaf tin smaller than a Le Creuset oval bread dish). Grease the tin lightly and place the dough seam-side up. Cover and let rise at room temperature for 2–4 hours. Then refrigerate overnight (or up to 24 hours) to develop flavor and structure.
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17Baking: Place a Le Creuset oval cast iron bread dish (with lid) in the oven and preheat to 225°C fan. Heat for 45 minutes. Remove the dough from the fridge. Dust with rice flour and gently turn onto baking paper. Dust the top and score quickly with a sharp knife.
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18Transfer carefully into the hot dish. Add a few ice cubes underneath the baking paper to create steam and cover with the lid.
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19Baking times: 25 min with lid at 225°C, 25 min without lid at 210°C, 20–25 min at 190°C until fully baked (hollow sound when tapped)
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20Important: Let the bread cool completely on a rack for at least 3 hours before slicing to allow the crumb to set properly.
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