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Perfect Cranberry Orange Sourdough Loaf Recipe

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This cranberry orange sourdough loaf features an open, airy crumb with plump cranberries and bright orange zest. It’s the result of extensive testing to achieve reliable results every time, perfect for holiday brunch or a cozy morning toast.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 100g active sourdough starter (fed 4–6 hours prior, bubbly and doubled in size)
  • 500g bread flour (at least 12% protein content)
  • 300g water, at room temperature (filtered recommended)
  • 10g fine sea salt
  • 150g fresh cranberries (frozen works, do not thaw)
  • Zest of 2 medium oranges (use a microplane)
  • 25g granulated sugar (optional, to balance tartness)
  • Rice flour, for dusting bannetons
  • Semolina or cornmeal, for dusting baking surface

Instructions

  1. Mix the Dough (9:00 AM): In a large bowl, combine 300g water and 100g active starter. Stir until the starter dissolves. Add 500g bread flour and mix with your hand or a dough whisk until no dry bits remain. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).
  2. Add Salt and Sugar (9:30 AM): Sprinkle 10g salt and 25g sugar (if using) over the dough. Wet your hands slightly and fold the dough over itself several times until incorporated. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
  3. Incorporate the Fruit (10:00 AM): Gently flatten the dough on your work surface (wet hands, no flour). Scatter orange zest and cranberries over the surface, then fold the dough over itself repeatedly until fruit is roughly distributed. Let rest 30 minutes.
  4. Series of Folds (10:30 AM to 1:00 PM): Perform four sets of stretch and folds at 30-minute intervals. For each set: wet your hand, reach under one side of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over the top. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat four times total.
  5. Bulk Fermentation (1:00 PM to 5:00 PM): Cover the bowl and let the dough ferment at room temperature (70-75°F) for 4-5 hours, until increased by about 50%, feels airy and bubbly, and jiggles slightly when shaken.
  6. Shape and Cold Retard (5:00 PM): Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently shape into a round by folding edges toward center, then flip seam-side down and create surface tension. Place seam-side up in a floured banneton. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (12-16 hours).
  7. Bake (Next Morning, 9:00 AM): Place Dutch oven in oven and preheat to 500°F for at least 30 minutes. Remove dough from fridge, turn onto parchment paper, and score with a lame or sharp knife. Carefully transfer dough (on parchment) into hot Dutch oven. Cover and bake at 500°F for 20 minutes. Reduce temperature to 450°F, remove lid, and bake for another 20-25 minutes until deep golden brown (internal temperature 205-210°F). Cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing.

Notes

Don’t overhydrate the dough; cranberries release moisture as they bake. Cold dough is easier to score—if too soft, freeze for 20 minutes before scoring. Place a baking sheet on the rack below to prevent burning the bottom. Day-old sourdough makes the best toast. Ensure starter is very active (doubles in 4-6 hours) for best results.

Nutrition

Keywords: sourdough, cranberry orange bread, artisan bread, holiday bread, homemade bread, sourdough loaf, cranberry bread

Find it online: https://tastytuck.com/perfect-cranberry-orange-sourdough-loaf-recipe/