Cranberry Walnut Sourdough

Before you start

Cranberry walnut sourdough pairs tart-sweet fruit with the slightly bitter crunch of toasted nuts in a tangy, open crumb. It is a holiday favorite for cheese boards and turkey sandwiches, but it is also excellent toasted with butter on any morning. The inclusions make up a little over 40 percent of the flour weight, enough to show up in every slice without overwhelming the bread.

Two details matter most. Dried cranberries are thirsty, so a short soak in warm water keeps them plump and stops them pulling moisture from the dough. Walnuts taste much better toasted, and cooling them fully before mixing keeps them from warming the dough. Because the fruit adds sugar, the crust browns faster than a plain loaf; the uncovered part of the bake runs at a slightly lower temperature.

Ingredients

• Dough100 g (scant ½ cup) active sourdough starter — 100% hydration, at its peak
• 360 g (1½ cups) water — about 26°C (78°F)
• 400 g (3⅓ cups) bread flour
• 100 g (¾ cup plus 1 tbsp) whole wheat flour
• 11 g (2 tsp) fine salt
• Inclusions120 g (1 cup) dried cranberries
• 100 g (1 cup) walnut halves — toasted, cooled and roughly broken
• 1 tsp finely grated orange zest — optional
• Dustingas needed rice flour

Method

1. Mix the starter with 340 g of the water, then add both flours and mix until no dry flour remains. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
2. While the dough rests, cover the cranberries with warm water for 10 minutes, then drain and pat them dry. Toast the walnuts at 170°C (340°F) for 8 to 10 minutes until fragrant, cool them completely and break them into large pieces.
3. Sprinkle the salt and the remaining 20 g water over the dough and squeeze it through until absorbed. Add the cranberries, walnuts and orange zest and use a pinch-and-fold motion for 2 to 3 minutes until they are evenly distributed. Some will pop out; tuck them back in.
4. Bulk ferment at about 24°C (75°F) for 4 to 5 hours. Give 3 sets of coil folds during the first 90 minutes, then leave the dough undisturbed. It is ready when it has risen by about 50 percent, feels light and shows bubbles along the sides of the bowl.
5. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, preshape into a loose round and rest 20 minutes. Shape into a tight boule, pulling any exposed fruit under the surface, and place smooth side down in a floured banneton.
6. Cover and refrigerate for 12 to 16 hours.
7. Preheat the Dutch oven at 250°C (480°F) for 45 minutes. Turn the loaf onto parchment and score a square pattern or a single curved slash.
8. Bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncover, lower to 220°C (430°F) and bake 20 to 25 minutes more, until the crust is deep mahogany and the center reads about 96°C (205°F). Tent loosely with foil if exposed cranberries start to blacken.
9. Cool on a rack for at least 2 hours before slicing.

Tips for success

• Pick off any cranberries sitting right on the surface of the shaped loaf. Exposed fruit burns and turns bitter in a hot oven.
• For a more open crumb, add the inclusions after the first set of folds instead of at mixing, using a lamination.
• Slice with a serrated knife using long, gentle strokes so the walnuts do not tear the crumb.

Substitutions

Dried cranberries

Dried cherries or golden raisins at the same weight. Cherries are tarter; raisins are sweeter and darken the crust more.

Walnuts

Pecans or toasted pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin seeds make the loaf nut-free, apart from any cross-contact in processing.

Whole wheat flour

Use all bread flour for a lighter, milder loaf, or swap in rye flour for a darker, more sour bread with a stickier dough.

Variations

Cranberry pecan with rosemary

Use pecans in place of walnuts and add 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary with the inclusions.

Spiced holiday loaf

Add 1 tsp cinnamon and ½ tsp ground cardamom to the flour and 20 g honey to the water.

Troubleshooting

Dense crumb around the fruit

The dough was underfermented, or dry cranberries pulled water from it. Soak the fruit, and let bulk run until the dough is clearly airy.

Crust too dark

Sugar from the fruit caramelizes quickly. Bake uncovered at 220°C (430°F) and tent with foil once the color is deep.

Purple or gray streaks in the crumb

Walnut skins can tint the dough. This is harmless; toasting the nuts and rubbing off loose skins reduces it.

Storage

Keep the loaf cut side down on a board or in a bread bag at room temperature for up to 4 days. Slice and freeze for up to 3 months; toast slices straight from frozen.

Safety notes

Contains wheat and tree nuts (walnuts). Do not taste the raw dough; uncooked flour can carry harmful bacteria.