In the early evening:

Mixing the Dough:

• In a large mixing bowl, mix the active sourdough starter, warm water, and honey until the the honey and stater dissolves.
• Once the wet ingredients are combined, incorporate the bread flour, salt, peanut butter, and chocolate chips, scraping down the sides of the bowl, and stir until a shaggy dough forms.
• Cover the rough dough with a clean, damp tea towel or plastic wrap, and let dough rest in a warm spot for 30 minutes.

Stretching and Folding:

• After the initial rest, remove the covering. Perform the stretching and folding technique by gathering the dough from one side of the bowl. Stretch it out and fold it onto itself. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat the stretching and folding process. The dough should form a somewhat square shape. Cover the bowl again with a damp kitchen towel and let the dough rest for another 30 minutes.
• Repeat this process two more times with 30 minute itervals.

Bulk Fermentation:

• Cover the bowl again with a damp towel and let the dough undergo its first rise, or bulk fermentation, through the night in a warm place. It should be doubled in size by the next morning.

Shaping the Dough:

• The next morning, shape the dough gently into a round smooth ball or oval loaf, being careful not to deflate it too much.

Final Proofing:

• Place the shaped loaf into a banneton or proofing basket lined with a clean kitchen towel. Cover with a damp towel and place it in the fridge for at least 3 hours for the final proofing.

After at least 3 hours:

• Remove the chilled dough from the fridge and score right away. I have found that chilled dough is the easiest way to get a good score!

Baking:

• (Do not preheat the oven! Simply turn it on when you place the bread into the oven.)
• Transfer the scored dough onto a piece of parchement paper and then into a Dutch oven. Cover with the lid, and bake for 50 minutes at 425 degrees, until golden brown.
• If a deeper color is desired, remove the lid and bake for an additional 5 minutes.

Cooling:

• Once baked, transfer the bread to a wire rack or a wood cutting board and let it cool for at least an hour before slicing.

Enjoy:

• Once bread cools, slice and serve your peanut butter with chocolate sweet sourdough bread with your favorite spreads or cheeses. It is delicious either on its own or toasted with homemade soft butter spread on top of it. Idie's homemade butter found here!