Black & Orange Halloween Sourdough Bread
This Halloween Sourdough Bread combines rich black cocoa powder, pumpkin puree, and sweet chocolate chips in a striking black and orange marbled loaf. It's an easy Halloween sourdough that's soft, chocolatey, and so much fun to bake!
Servings 12 slices
Calories 260kcal
Equipment
- Straight-sided container (optional)
- Proofing basket or bowl lined with tea towel
- Bread sling or parchment paper
- Lame or sharp knife
Ingredients
Black Cocoa Dough
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons water
- ¼ cup (50 grams) active sourdough starter
- ¼ cup (30 grams) black cocoa powder
- 2 cups (240 grams) bread flour
- 1 ¾ teaspoons (5 grams) Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt reduce to 1 teaspoon if using Morton's brand or table salt
- ½ cup (85 grams) white chocolate chips
Pumpkin Dough
- ½ cup (120 grams) pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons (105 grams) water
- ¼ cup (50 grams) active sourdough starter
- 2 cups (240 grams) bread flour
- 1 ¾ teaspoons (5 grams) Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt reduce to 1 teaspoon if using Morton's brand or table salt
- ½ cup (85 grams) dark chocolate chips
- Rice flour for proofing basket
- 2 ice cubes for steam
Instructions
- Feed your sourdough starter 6–12 hours before mixing the dough so it is bubbly, active, and ready to use. In a cooler kitchen (60–65°F), this may take closer to 12 hours, while a warmer kitchen (around 75°F) may take as little as 6 hours.
- Make the black cocoa dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together the water, active sourdough starter, and black cocoa powder. Add the bread flour and salt, then mix until no dry flour remains and a sticky dough forms. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.¾ cup + 2 tablespoons water, ¼ cup (50 grams) active sourdough starter, ¼ cup (30 grams) black cocoa powder, 2 cups (240 grams) bread flour, 1 ¾ teaspoons (5 grams) Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
- Make the pumpkin dough: In a second medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, water, and active sourdough starter. Add the bread flour and salt, then mix until no dry flour remains and a sticky dough forms. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.½ cup (120 grams) pumpkin puree, ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons (105 grams) water, ¼ cup (50 grams) active sourdough starter, 2 cups (240 grams) bread flour, 1 ¾ teaspoons (5 grams) Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
- Add the white chocolate chips and stretch and fold: Lightly wet your hands and sprinkle about one-quarter of the white chocolate chips over the black cocoa dough. Starting with one side of the dough, stretch it upward and fold it over the center. Rotate the bowl and repeat with the remaining three sides, adding another quarter of the chocolate chips before each fold. This incorporates the chocolate chips as you complete the first set of stretch and folds. Gather the dough into a loose ball, cover, and let rest for 15 minutes. Repeat the stretch-and-fold process 3 more times, resting for 15 minutes between each set, for a total of 4 sets.½ cup (85 grams) white chocolate chips
- Add the dark chocolate chips and stretch and fold: Repeat the same process with the pumpkin dough, using the dark chocolate chips. Add the chocolate chips during the first set of stretch and folds, then complete 3 additional sets, resting for 15 minutes between each set.½ cup (85 grams) dark chocolate chips
- After the final set of stretch and folds, transfer both doughs to a bowl or straight-sided container, stacking one dough on top of the other. Do not knead or mix them together—the layers will naturally adhere as the doughs ferment. Cover and let the dough bulk ferment until it is puffy, bubbly, and roughly doubled in size. Depending on your kitchen temperature and the strength of your starter, this can take anywhere from 4–12 hours.
- Lightly flour your work surface and gently turn out the dough. Carefully stretch it into a rectangle. Fold one short side toward the center, then fold the opposite short side over it. Fold both long sides toward the center in the same way. Turn the dough seam-side down and gently shape it into a round by cupping your hands around the dough and pulling it toward you to create surface tension.
- Generously dust a proofing basket or towel-lined bowl with rice flour. Place the dough inside seam-side up, pinching the seam closed if needed. Cover and refrigerate for 12–16 hours.Rice flour
- The next day, place your Dutch oven with the lid on inside the oven and preheat to 450°F. Once the oven reaches temperature, let the Dutch oven continue heating for another 30 minutes.
- Turn the dough out onto a sheet of parchment paper or a bread sling so it is seam-side down. Score the top with a lame or sharp knife. Carefully place 2 ice cubes into the Dutch oven for extra steam. Lower the dough into the pot, cover, and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the lid and continue baking for another 5–10 minutes, or until the crust reaches your desired color.2 ice cubes
- Transfer the bread to a wire rack and let cool for at least 2 hours before slicing.
A straight-sided container makes it much easier to see when the dough has roughly doubled in size.
Notes
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 7.5g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Sodium: 400mg | Potassium: 227mg | Fiber: 2.5g | Sugar: 5.5g | Calcium: 18.5mg | Iron: 3.8mg
Did you try this recipe?Let me know! Comment below, or take a picture and tag me on Instagram @everydayhomemadebyashley.
