Chocolate Chip Sourdough Croissant Bread

Imagine if a sourdough loaf and a croissant met at a charming little French café, fell hopelessly in love over an espresso and decided to raise tiny chocolate chips baguettes together. That's essentially what's happening here.  This is a loaf so unapologetically buttery, flaky, chocolate-studded and gloriously over-the-top that it deserves to be highlighted in the very best cooking magazine.  

This unconventional loaf features the signature tang and chewy personality of traditional sourdough and just when you think things couldn't possibly get any better - chocolate chips appear like tiny edible confetti scattered throughout every flaky fold.  It's the culinary equivalent of wearing high heels to the grocery store.  Entirely unnecessary.  Completely delightful.😂

When I make this Chocolate Chip Sourdough,  breakfast becomes an event.  Coffee feels fancier.  Conversations become quieter because everyone's too busy chewing.  Even the dog started hanging around the kitchen with suspicious optimism.  I'm not a French trained pastry chef but I feel like one when I serve this buttery, flaky loaf.👩🏻‍🍳 

This isn't a recipe you make when you're in a hurry. It's a recipe you make because slow baking has a way of reminding us that some things are worth waiting for. Between the stretches and folds, the overnight rest, and all those buttery layers tucked into the dough, there's plenty of time to ponder lifes big questions.  So tie on your apron, dust the counter with flour - Good things take time and the very best recipes often ask us to slow down long enough to enjoy the process.  This one happens to arrive wrapped in flaky, golden layers, studded with chocolate and carrying enough butter to make Julia Child smile.

Chocolate Chip Sourdough Croissant Bread
120 grams active sourdough starter
340 grams water
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
500 grams bread flour
8 Tablespoons butter, frozen and grated
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine starter, water, brown sugar, vanilla, salt and bread flour in bowl of standing mixer.

Mix until well combined.  Cover and let rest 30 minutes. 

Stretch and fold dough.  Cover and let rest 30 minutes.  

Stretch and fold dough again, incorporating half of the grated butter.  Cover and let rest 30 minutes. 

Add remaining butter to dough and stretch and fold again.  Cover and let rest 30 minutes. 

Stretch dough into a 12x16" rectangle on counter. 

Sprinkle 2/3 cup chocolate chips over dough.  

Fold one side of the dough to the middle and then the other side of the dough to the middle. Add remaining chocolate chips on top of dough. 

If making mini loaves:  Roll the dough into a log and slice into 6 equal portions.  Roll each into a ball and place in mini banneton baskets.  

Roll dough into a ball and place it back in the bowl.  

Cover and let rise for 6-7 hours. ​

Remove dough from bowl and shape into a tight ball.  Let rest 30 minutes. 

Shape dough into a ball.  Place in a floured banneton basket.

Cover dough and refrigerate 12-18 hours. 

Preheat Dutch oven in a 450 degree oven for 20 minutes.  Flip dough out of basket and score with lame.  

Place loaf in Dutch oven.  Reduce temperature to 425 and bake 30 minutes.  Remove lid and bake another 15 minutes.  
For mini loaves:  Bake 20 minutes with the lid on and then 15 minutes without the lid.

Ciao!

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