Black Sourdough Loaf

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This eye-catching black sourdough loaf is a fun twist on the classic sourdough, and has a super soft texture and a lovely light crumb. Tinted with cocoa, this eerie bread is wonderful when served with butter.

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Made with naturally leavened starter, flour and salt and coloured with cocoa and food colouring, this spooky sourdough artisan loaf with its delicious tang, is a must to try this year!

Instead of using the black cocoa powder and food colouring, you could also use activated charcoal, however the charcoal may interfere with some medications, so do your research first.

Serving Sourdough

This delicious black sourdough loaf can be served:

On a charcuterie board
With salty cheeses
With yummy sweet jams
Alongside hearty soups such as this chicken vegetable soup or this pumpkin soup
As part of a spooky themed meal, or party

Black Sourdough Loaf slice with spiderweb butter on it

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Ingredients for Making this Loaf

To make one loaf you will need:

½ Cup Active Sourdough Starter – Fed and Bubbly
1 ½ Cups Water
3 ½ Cups Bread Flour
½ Cup Black Cocoa Powder or Dutch-Processed Cocoa for a dark, rich colour
2 tsp Salt
A couple of drops of Black Gel Food Colouring – Optional for a bolder colour

To Make Spiderweb Butter, you will need:

Making the Spiderweb Butter

Allow the butter to soften and then mix with a little salt or honey if you wish.

Press the butter into the spiderweb mould and place the mould in the freezer for up to an hour until the butter is firm.

Pop out the butter and store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to serve.

More Sourdough Resources

Making the Black Sourdough Loaf

There are a few steps in making a loaf of sourdough. The include:

Mixing the Dough
Completing the stretch and folds
Bulk Fermentation
Shape and Final Rise
Baking

Mixing the Dough

In a large bowl, add the sourdough starter and the water. Mix with a whisk until combined.

Black Sourdough Loaf mixing the sourdough starter and water

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Add the bread flour, black cocoa powder, food colouring (if using) and salt.

Black Sourdough Loaf adding cocoa and black food colouring

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Mix together until it forms a dough.

Cover the bowl and let rest for 30 minutes.

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Stretch and Folds

If you find that you dough is not as dark as you would like it, now is the time to add a little more black gel colouring. This colouring will be incorporated as you are doing the stretch and folds.

Over the next 2 hours, perform 4 stretch and folds, one every 30 minutes to strengthen the dough. You will find that it will become smoother and more elastic after each stretch and fold.

Bulk Fermentation

Once all the stretch and folds are completed. Cover and let the dough rise at room temperature. Depending on the temperature of your house, this could take anywhere between 4 to 12 hours. The dough is ready when it is bubbly and roughly doubled in size. It should have a domed top and easily peel away from the side of the bowl. When you gently shake the bowl, it should also jiggle.

Shape and Final Rise

Once the dough is ready, turn it out on a lightly floured surface.

Shape into a round or oval loaf, depending on the banneton that you are using. Lightly flour the banneton or line with a tea towel and place the dough in.

Black Sourdough Loaf shape and place in banneton

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Cover and let rest in the fridge to cold ferment for up to 12 hours.

Baking

Place the Dutch oven inside the oven and preheat to 230˚C (450˚F).

When the oven is ready, score the top of the sourdough loaf and carefully place it into the hot Dutch oven.

Bake, covered for 25 minutes.

Remove the lid, turn the heat down to 215˚C (420˚F) and bake for a further 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is dark and crispy.

Remove from oven and let cool completely before slicing.

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Storing Sourdough Loaf

Once cooled, the best way to store sourdough loaves is to wrap it in a clean tea towel and store it at room temperature.

It can also be placed in a brown paper bag and stored.

Keep away from direct sunlight or heat.

For long term storage, wrap in cling wrap and place in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months.

When ready to enjoy, thaw at room temperature before eating.

Black Sourdough Loaf a slice on a white plate

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Black Sourdough with Spiderweb Butter

Simple Living. Creative Learning

This eye-catching black sourdough loaf is a fun twist on the classic sourdough, and has a super soft texture and a lovely light crumb.

Servings 1 Loaf

Calories 2605 kcal

Course Breads

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Rise Time 5 hours

Total Time 5 hours 40 minutes

Ingredients

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Spiderweb Butter

Allow the butter to soften and then mix with a little salt or honey if you wish.
Press the butter into the spiderweb mould and place the mould in the freezer for up to an hour until the butter is firm.
Pop out the butter and store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to serve.

Mixing the Dough

In a large bowl, add the sourdough starter and the water. Mix with a whisk until combined.
Add the bread flour, black cocoa powder, food colouring (if using) and salt.
Mix together until it forms a dough.
Cover the bowl and let rest for 30 minutes.

Stretch and Folds

If you find that you dough is not as dark as you would like it, now is the time to add a little more black gel colouring. This colouring will be incorporated as you are doing the stretch and folds.
Over the next 2 hours, perform 4 stretch and folds, one every 30 minutes to strengthen the dough. You will find that it will become smoother and more elastic after each stretch and fold.

Bulk Fermentation

Once all the stretch and folds are completed. Cover and let the dough rise at room temperature. Depending on the temperature of your house, this could take anywhere between 4 to 12 hours. The dough is ready when it is bubbly and roughly doubled in size. It should have a domed top and easily peel away from the side of the bowl. When you gently shake the bowl, it should also jiggle.

Shape and Final Rise

Once the dough is ready, turn it out on a lightly floured surface.
Shape into a round or oval loaf, depending on the banneton that you are using. Lightly flour the banneton or line with a tea towel and place the dough in.
Cover and let rest in the fridge to cold ferment for up to 12 hours.

Baking

Place the Dutch oven inside the oven and preheat to 230˚C (450˚F).
When the oven is ready, score the top of the sourdough loaf and carefully place it into the hot Dutch oven.
Bake, covered for 25 minutes.
Remove the lid, turn the heat down to 215˚C (420˚F) and bake for a further 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is dark and crispy.
Remove from oven and let cool completely before slicing.

Nutrition

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. The values may vary according to the ingredients and tools that are used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed information.

Keyword Black Sourdough, Bread, Sourdough

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Black Sourdough Loaf – Simple Living. Creative Learning