As I have mentioned before, I am spending some time re-creating my “usual” yeasted recipes into sourdough recipes. This particular bread, Sourdough Cranberry Walnut Artisan Breakfast Bread, has actually worked out very well with the sourdough starter. It took me a little bit to get the baker’s ratio right, but once I’ve gotten the hydration level right, it’s been a breeze. It’s also one of my most popular varieties of bread in general. 🙂
Ingredients
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/4 cup liquidy honey
1/2 cup active sourdough starter
1 cup water, between 100-115F
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup dried cranberries
Directions
In a large work bowl, combine flour, brown sugar and salt. In another bowl, or large measuring cup, combine sourdough starter, honey and water. Combine until all the flour is incorporated, and turn onto a floured bench, to knead into a cohesive dough. Place in a bowl to rise for 20 minutes. Then flatten slightly, place cranberries and walnuts in the middle and using the stretch and fold technique, fold in these ingredients in. Let rest 30 minutes, then repeat the folding technique, 4 more times, for a total of 2 hours. Then, cover the bowl tightly and place in the refrigerator overnight.
On the following day, up to 24 hours later, remove the dough from the fridge and let come to temperature, about 2 hours.
Place the large dutch oven, with lid inside the oven and preheat to 450F.
While the oven is preheating, shape your bread. Lightly sprinkle a working surface with flour. Using a spatula, gently scrape the bread dough out onto your floured surface. Flour your hands and gently shape the dough into a round loaf (boule). Minimal handling is optimal!
Once you’ve shaped the dough, set it into a well-floured proofing basket (banneton) and cover loosely with a clean dishtowel. Just before baking, invert the formed bread onto a piece of parchment paper. Once the oven and the dutch oven are heated, carefully remove the dutch oven from the oven, carefully remove the lid (it will be screaming hot!) and using the parchment paper, lift the bread into the dutch oven. Score the bread, and spritz lightly with water and sprinkle on a few additional sunflower and pumpkin seeds. Place lid on pot, place pot in oven.
Bake your bread for 30 minutes with the lid on, then remove the lid and bake for an additional 10 minutes with the lid off, until the top is quite browned.
Remove the bread from the oven and let cool completely before slicing.
