Mocha Soft Sourdough Loaf
If you prefer Chocolate Bread instead, please replace instant coffee with cocoa powder. I have another recipe that using instant yeast that you may interested, Chocolate Soft Bread Recipe.
How To Make Mocha Soft Sourdough Loaf
250g Loaf Pan (6.5" X 3.5" X 3.5")
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450g Loaf Pan (8” X 4” X 4”) |
Yudane: 40g bread flour (I used Japan High Gluten Flour) 40g boiling water Levain - 150g (ratio 1:3:3): 22g sourdough starter (100% Hydration) 66g bread flour (I used Japan High Gluten Flour) 66g water Main Dough: 160g bread flour (I used Japan High Gluten Flour) All the yudane dough (from above) 150g levain (from above) 10g cocoa powder 1 sachet (2g) Nescafe instant coffee 30g (2 1/2 Tbsp) brown sugar 3/4 tsp salt 20g butter, room temperature 35g egg, whisked (from 1 egg and balance reserve for egg wash) 40 - 50g full cream milk (whole milk) |
Yudane: 50g bread flour (I used Japan High Gluten Flour) 50g boiling water Levain - 190g (ratio 1:3:3) 28g sourdough starter (100% Hydration) 84g bread flour (I used Japan High Gluten Flour) 84g water Main Dough: 205g bread flour (I used Japan High Gluten Flour) All the yudane dough (from above) 190g levain (from above) 13g cocoa powder 1 1/2 sachet (3g) Nescafe instant coffee 42g (3 1/2 Tbsp)brown sugar 1 tsp salt 26g butter, room temperature 45g egg, whisked (from 1 egg and balance reserve for egg wash) 50 - 60g full cream milk (whole milk) |
- Yudane:
- Add bread flour in a bowl, pour the boiling water and mix well with spatula or spoon until no dry flour.
- Cling film and leave on the counter for at least 4 hours or overnight in the fridge. I prepared the night before.
- Use directly from the fridge.
- Levain:
- One night before baking, mix all ingredients in a jar and cover.
- Let it ferment at aircond room temperature (approximately 25 - 27C) overnight until tripled. It took about 12 hours or less.
- Note: If you want to prepare the levain on the same baking day, please use the ratio 1:1:1. Let it ferment at room temperature (approximately 28 - 30 C) until tripled. It took about 3-5 hours depend how strong is your starter.
- Main Dough:
- Heat up milk in a small sauce pan. Stir in instant coffee until the coffee dissolved. Set aside to cool.
- Put all ingredients (except butter), including the 150g or 190g sourdough starter (levain) and yudane dough into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the dough hook, knead for 3 - 5 minutes until the dough comes together. Add in butter and continue kneading for another 10 - 12 minutes until reach window pane stage.
- First Proofing/Resting The Dough:
- In the same bowl, let the dough rest for 60 minutes. Keep it covered with clingfilm or use a lid. The dough did not rise a lot in 60 minutes.
- Shaping:
- Transfer the dough to a clean floured surface then divide into 2 equal portions.
- Form each portion to a ball. Flatten with rolling pin into a dish. Fold right to centre and fold left overlap it. Roll out with rolling pin into long rectangle shape. Roll up the dough like Swiss Roll until a small log is formed.
- Place all dough in the prepared loaf pan.
- Final Proofing:
- Let it proof at warm and dark place until the dough reaches the height of the pan. This one took approximately 4 hours at room temperature of 28C - 30C. It may take longer to proof depending on your ambient temperature and your starter.
- Baking:
- Fifteen minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 180C.
- Bake at preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the crust change darker colour.
- Remove bread from oven and let them cool on rack completely before slicing.
- Milk or milk powder will enhance the flavour of the bread and makes the bread texture softer due to the fat content of the milk.
- Milk powder is shelf stable and you can have it anytime when you want to use. Unlike liquid milk you need to finish within a certain time before it spoils.
PROOFING
If you are unable to judge by just looking at the dough, you can do the finger poke test:
Proofing:
- Lightly press the side of the proved dough with your finger. If it bounces back immediately without any indentation, it means the dough is under proved and needs more time before baking.
- If the indentation stays and it doesn’t bounce back, it means it has been over proved.
- If the indentation slowly bounces back and leave a small indentation, it is ready to bake.
- There will be a final burst of rising once the bread is placed to bake in the oven and it is called oven spring.
Mocha Soft Sourdough Loaf

Ingredients
Instructions
- Add bread flour in a bowl, pour the boiling water and mix well with spatula or spoon until no dry flour.
- Cling film and leave on the counter for at least 4 hours or overnight in the fridge. I prepared the night before.
- Use directly from the fridge.
- One night before baking, mix all ingredients in a jar and cover.
- Let it ferment at aircond room temperature (approximately 25 - 27C) overnight until tripled. It took about 12 hours or less.
- Note: If you want to prepare the levain on the same baking day, please use the ratio 1:1:1. Let it ferment at room temperature (approximately 28 - 30 C) until tripled. It took about 3-5 hours depend how strong is your starter.
- Heat up milk in a small sauce pan. Stir in instant coffee until the coffee dissolved. Set aside to cool.
- Put all ingredients (except butter), including the 150g or 190g sourdough starter (levain) and yudane dough into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the dough hook, knead for 3 - 5 minutes until the dough comes together. Add in butter and continue kneading for another 10 - 12 minutes until reach window pane stage.
- In the same bowl, let the dough rest for 60 minutes. Keep it covered with clingfilm or use a lid. The dough did not rise a lot in 60 minutes.
- Form each portion to a ball. Flatten with rolling pin into a dish. Fold right to centre and fold left overlap it. Roll out with rolling pin into long rectangle shape. Roll up the dough like Swiss Roll until a small log is formed.
- Place all dough in the prepared loaf pan.
- Let it proof at warm and dark place until the dough reaches the height of the pan. This one took approximately 4 hours at room temperature of 28C - 30C. It may take longer to proof depending on your ambient temperature and your starter.
- Fifteen minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 180C.
- Bake at preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the crust change darker colour.
- Remove bread from oven and let them cool on rack completely before slicing.
My family and friends love it so much. I tripled the coffee powder for stronger flavor,added chocolate chips and raisin.
ReplyDeleteHi there, Thank you for your feedback and trying this recipe. I am glad that you and your family like it. It sounds yummy with the stronger coffee flavor and additional chocolate chips and raisin. Maybe I should add raisin too next time.
DeleteCheers :)
Hi, thank you for the recipe. The loaf turned out wonderful with additional chocolate chips. The only thing was the prominent sour taste with such high amount of levain. How much would you reduce the levain if a less sour loaf is desired? Thank you.
ReplyDeleteHi there,
DeleteThank you for trying this recipe and for your feedback. I am happy to hear that it turned out wonderful. I used 75% (150g) of levain in this recipe. You may cut down to 40% which is 80g. Another way is use the levain when ferment double instead of triple.
Cheers :)
Hi do you think it will be ok to modify ur usual loaf bread recipe (with yudane method) to include the coffee powder and cocoa instead of using sourdough?
ReplyDeleteHi, Yes. It should work too. Cheers :)
DeleteHow much milk is needed?
ReplyDeleteHi, I am sorry for the missing information. I just amended and please have a look.
DeleteBYW, thanks for informing.
Cheers :)
Hi, thank you for the lovely recipe!
ReplyDeleteIf I may, there’s some quick questions to ask.
About substitutions and omission:
1. Substitute milk with water?
2. Substitute butter with oil?
3. Omit egg?
Hi, thanks for reading this recipe.
Delete1. Substitute milk with water? Yes
2. Substitute butter with oil? Yes
3. Omit egg? Yes. Need to replace with other liquid like water.
Just bear in mind, your bread will be less flavourful if you do not mind.
Cheers :)
for the final proofing, do you know how long will it take for winter weather (room temp is about 8C)? or will it even work at all given this cold weather? thanks
ReplyDeleteHi, thanks for reading. Sourdough baking is very unpredictable. I am sorry, I can't give you the answer on this. However, I have seen people used different method of increasing the ambient temperature like putting in the oven or proofer. You may want to online search for the methods.
DeleteMy weather here is warm and easy for this type of bread baking.
Cheers :)
Thanks for this lovely recipe! I have tried it yesterday. The edge of the bread turns out to be more dense. What will be the possible cause for that? Thanks in adv for your advice.
ReplyDeleteHi, thanks for trying. You mean the bottom dense? Could be your oven not hot enough or starter or proofing issue.
DeleteCheers :)