Cranberry Walnut Sourdough Bread
This Cranberry Walnut Sourdough Bread is inspired by a loaf of the same flavour from The Collingwood Bread Company, a popular bakery in the South Georgian Bay region where I grew up. The first time I tried this flavour combo, I was immediately in love and knew I needed to recreate it in my own kitchen. Coincidentally, this loaf is also the perfect addition to your holiday table with the inherently festive and cozy vibes of the cranberries and walnuts.
Table of Contents
- Cranberry Walnut Sourdough Bread Ingredients
- Equipment
- Step 1—Make the Leaven
- Step 2—Conduct a Float Test
- Step 3—Mix the Dough
- Step 4—Incorporate the Salt
- Step 5—Bulk Fermentation
- Step 6—Incorporate the Cranberries and Walnuts
- Step 7—Shape the Loaf
- Step 8—Final Rise
- Step 9—Bake the Loaf
- Suggested Baking Schedule
- More Sourdough Recipes
Cranberry Walnut Sourdough Bread Ingredients
To make Cranberry Walnut Sourdough Bread, you will need the following ingredients:
Leaven
- 50 grams all-purpose flour
- 50 grams whole spelt flour
- 100 grams warm water
- 2 tablespoons sourdough starter
Dough
- 325 grams warm water, divided
- 100 grams leaven
- 400 grams all-purpose flour
- 100 grams whole spelt flour
- 10 grams sea salt
- 90 grams raw walnuts
- 100 grams dried cranberries
Equipment
- Digital kitchen scale
- Large mixing bowl
- Dough whisk, optional
- Bench scraper
- Bread banneton
- Bread lame
- Large Dutch oven
- Heavyweight oven mitts
Step 1—Make the Leaven
A leaven is an active sourdough starter used to make sourdough bread. The night before baking, or at least 8 hours in advance of baking, mix the leaven. Add the starter, 50 grams each of all-purpose and whole spelt flour, and 100 grams of warm water into a container—I like to use a one-litre deli container for this—and mix until fully combined and no bits of dry flour remain.
Cover, and allow the leaven to ferment at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight. I like to mark the leaven’s height in the container with an elastic band right after feeding. By marking the height, I can see ow much it grows as it ferments.
Step 2—Conduct a Float Test
The next morning, use the float test to check if your leaven is ready for baking. Fill a small bowl or cup with warm water, then add a spoonful of the leaven. If it floats, it is ready to be baked with. If the leaven sinks, let it ferment for another hour or so before completing the float test again.
Step 3—Mix the Dough
Add 300 grams of the warm water to a large mixing bowl. Add 100 grams of the leaven; the remaining leaven will become your new starter, and stir well to disperse.
Measure in the white and whole spelt flours. Mix everything well until a sticky dough has formed. I like to start mixing with a dough whisk, then switch to using my hands once the dough comes together. Cover the bowl with a clean dish towel and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Step 4—Incorporate the Salt
After the initial resting period, add the salt and 25 grams of warm water. Squeeze the dough between your fingers to combine. Fold the dough onto itself and cover with the towel. You are now in the bulk fermentation phase.
Step 5—Bulk Fermentation
The first rise, also known as the bulk fermentation, is a crucial phase in the bread baking process. During the bulk fermentation, the dough develops flavour, structure, and volume.
To encourage the development of the bread’s gluten, a series of stretch and folds, or “envelope folds,” are completed in 30-minute intervals throughout the 3- or 4-hour bulk fermentation.
To complete an envelope fold, reach into the bowl with a clean hand and grab the bottom of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it back over itself. Repeat 3 more times, rotating the bowl 90 degrees between each fold. You have now completed one envelope fold. Cover the dough and allow it to rest for 30 minutes, then repeat another fold. Over the bulk fermentation, you will complete 6 to 8 envelope folds.
By the end of the bulk fermentation, the dough will be more aerated and smooth and come away from the bowl easily when you complete a fold.
Step 6—Incorporate the Cranberries and Walnuts
On the second envelope fold—30 minutes into the bulk fermentation—add the cranberries and walnuts. Complete the fold as normal to begin incorporating the cranberries and walnuts. Do not worry if they do not look well incorporated after this initial turn. As you complete the remaining turns over the course of the bulk fermentation, the cranberries and walnuts will become more incorporated.
Step 7—Shape the Loaf
Transfer the dough to a clean, floured work surface. Lightly flour the dough, then, using the bench scraper and one hand, shape the dough into a round shape. Cover and let rest on the work surface for 30 minutes—this is known as the bench rest.
During this resting period, the dough will relax and spread slightly. If the dough spreads a lot and looks more like a puddle than a relaxed loaf shape, this is an indication that the dough did not develop enough during the bulk fermentation. To fix this, shape the loaf a second time and repeat the bench rest. Doing this essentially acts as an extra envelope fold, therefore extending the bulk fermentation.
For the final shaping of the loaf, lightly flour the surface of the dough, then use the bench scraper to flip the dough so the floured side is now on the work surface.
Grab the edge of the dough closest to you, and stretch it up and over itself. Repeat this movement with the sides of the dough to your left and right. Lastly, stretch the edge of the dough furthest from you up, then fold it over itself, rotating the dough away from you so the seam side is now facing down.
Flour your bread banneton with a 50/50 mix of white flour and rice flour to prevent the dough from sticking. Transfer the shaped loaf to the banneton, flipping it so the seam side is now facing up in the basket.
Step 8—Final Rise
When it comes to the final rise, you have two options. Option one: you can allow the bread to rise at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours before baking. Option two: you can delay the final rise by transferring the shaped loaf to the fridge to rise slowly overnight, then bake it the following morning.
Step 9—Bake the Loaf
If your loaf is in the fridge, remove it and allow it to sit on the counter while you preheat the oven. Put the Dutch oven in the centre of the top rack in the oven. Preheat the oven to 500℉ with the Dutch oven inside.
Once the oven has come to temperature, flip the loaf out onto a square of parchment. Using a sharp bread lame, hold the blade at a 45-degree angle and carefully score the loaf with your desired pattern. A singular line across the middle or a square on the surface of the dough works best, in my experience. If you are newer to sourdough, I don’t recommend trying any crazy patterns because it may impact your bread’s ability to rise.
Using heavyweight oven mitts—let’s not forget this pan is 500 degrees—carefully remove the preheated Dutch oven from the oven. Transfer the scored loaf into the Dutch oven and cover with the lid. Reduce the oven temperature to 450℉ and bake the loaf covered for 20 minutes. During this period, the enclosed environment of the Dutch oven creates steam—imitating a baker’s steam oven—to aid in the rising of the bread as it bakes.
After 20 minutes, remove the lid and bake for a further 25 to 30 minutes, until the crust is a deep golden brown. Remove the loaf from the oven. Flip the bread out onto a cooling rack. Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing.
Suggested Baking Schedule
Same-Day Baking Schedule
The Night Before
- 8pm: Mix the leaven.
The Day Of
- 8am – 8:30am: Mix the dough.
- 8:30am-12:30pm: Bulk fermentation.
- 12:30pm: Initial shaping.
- 12:30pm – 1pm: Bench rest.
- 1pm: Final shaping.
- 1pm – 5pm: Final rise.
- 5pm – 5:45pm: Score and bake.
Overnight Rise Baking Schedule
The Day Of
- 8am: Mix the leaven.
- 3pm – 3:30pm: Mix the dough.
- 3:30pm – 7:30pm: Bulk fermentation.
- 7:30pm: Initial shaping.
- 7:30pm – 8pm: Bench rest.
- 8pm: Final shaping.
- 8pm – 8am (next day): Final rise.
The Next Day
- 8am: Score and bake.
More Sourdough Recipes
If you have the sourdough itch and want to try your hand at some more recipes, be sure to check out these sourdough recipes:
Sourdough Apple Fritter Focaccia
If you make this Cranberry Walnut Sourdough Bread, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! I love to see what you all are making.
Feel free to leave any questions, comments, or reviews below. I love to hear from you!
Cranberry Walnut Sourdough Bread
Equipment
- Digital kitchen scale
- Large mixing bowl
- Dough whisk optional
- Bench scraper optional
- Bread banneton
- Bread lame
- Large dutch oven
- Heavyweight oven mitts
Ingredients
Leaven
- 50 grams white flour
- 50 grams whole spelt flour
- 100 grams warm water
- 2 tablespoons active sourdough starter
Dough
- 325 grams warm water, divided
- 100 grams leaven
- 400 grams white flour
- 100 grams whole spelt flour
- 10 grams sea salt
- 90 grams raw walnuts
- 100 grams dried cranberries
Instructions
Make the Leaven
- The night before baking, mix the leaven. Add the active starter, flours, and warm water into a container—I like to use a one-litre deli container for this—and mix until fully combined and no bits of dry flour remain.
Mix the Dough
- The next morning, use the float test to check if your leaven is ready for baking. Fill a small bowl or cup with warm water, then add a spoonful of the leaven. If it floats, it is ready to be baked with. If it sinks, let it ferment for another hour or so before completing the float test again.
- Add 300 grams of the warm water to a large mixing bowl. Add 100 grams of the leaven; the remaining leaven will become your new starter, and stir well to disperse.
- Measure in the all-purpose and whole spelt flours. Mix everything well until a sticky dough has formed. I use my hands for this process. Cover the bowl with a clean dish towel and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- After the initial resting period, add the salt and 25 grams of warm water. Squeeze the dough between your fingers to combine. Fold the dough onto itself and cover with the towel. You are now in the bulk fermentation phase.
Bulk Fermentation
- To encourage the development of the bread's gluten, a series of stretch and folds, or "envelope folds," are completed in 30-minute intervals throughout the 3 or 4-hour bulk fermentation. To complete an envelope fold, reach into the bowl with a clean hand and grab the bottom of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it back over itself. Repeat 3 more times, rotating the bowl 90 degrees between each fold. You have now completed one envelope fold. Cover the dough and allow it to rest for 30 minutes, then repeat another fold.
- On the second envelope fold—30 minutes into the bulk fermentation—add the cranberries and walnuts. Complete the fold as normal to begin incorporating the cranberries and walnuts. Do not worry if they do not look well incorporated after this initial turn. As you complete the remaining turns over the course of the bulk fermentation, the cranberries and walnuts will become more incorporated.
Shaping the Loaf
- Transfer the dough to a clean, floured work surface. Lightly flour the dough, then, using the bench scraper and one hand, shape the dough into a round shape. Cover and let rest on the work surface for 30 minutes—this is known as the bench rest.
- For the final shaping of the loaf, lightly flour the surface of the dough, then use the bench scraper to flip the dough so the floured side is now on the work surface.
- Grab the edge of the dough closest to you, and stretch it up and over itself. Repeat this movement with the sides of the dough to your left and right. Lastly, stretch the edge of the dough furthest from you up, then fold it over itself, rotating the dough away from you so the seam side is now facing down.
- Flour your bread banneton with a 50/50 mix of white flour and rice flour to prevent the dough from sticking. Transfer the shaped loaf to the banneton, flipping it so the seam side is now facing up in the basket.
The Final Rise
- When it comes to the final rise, you have two options. Option one: you can allow the bread to rise at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours before baking. Option two: you can delay the final rise by transferring the shaped loaf to the fridge to rise slowly overnight, then bake it the following morning.
Baking the Loaf
- Put the Dutch oven into the oven, then preheat the oven to 500℉. If the final rise was done overnight in the fridge, remove the loaf from the fridge 20 minutes before baking to come to room temperature.
- Flip the loaf out onto a square of parchment. Using a sharp bread lame, carefully score the loaf with your desired pattern. A singular line across the middle or a square on the surface of the dough works best, in my experience.
- Using heavyweight oven mitts, carefully remove the preheated Dutch oven from the oven. Carefully transfer the scored loaf into the Dutch oven and cover with the lid. Reduce the oven temperature to 450℉ and bake the loaf covered for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, remove the lid and bake for a further 25 to 30 minutes, until the crust is a deep golden brown. Remove the loaf from the oven. Flip the bread out onto a cooling rack. Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing.
