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Cranberry Walnut Artisan Sourdough Boule

A beautifully rustic, naturally leavened boule studded with tart dried cranberries and earthy toasted walnuts. This advanced recipe uses an overnight cold retard to develop a complex, tangy flavor and a blistered crust.

Prep 60 min Cook 45 min Total 25h 45m Level Advanced

Serves 12

Ingredients

Levain

35 grams Active sourdough starter — 100% hydration, recently fed and peaking
35 grams Bread flour
35 grams Whole wheat flour
70 grams Water — Room temperature (about 75°F/24°C)

Main Dough

400 grams Bread flour — High protein (11.5% - 13%)
50 grams Whole wheat flour
330 grams Water — Warm (about 80°F/27°C)
10 grams Fine sea salt

Inclusions

75 grams Dried cranberries — Soaked in warm water for 15 mins, then thoroughly drained and patted dry
75 grams Walnuts — Lightly toasted and roughly chopped

Instructions

Build the levain: Mix the active starter, bread flour, whole wheat flour, and water in a jar. Loosely cover and let ferment at warm room temperature (75-80°F) for 4-6 hours until doubled, bubbly, and passes the float test.
~10 min
Use a rubber band around the jar to easily track the growth of your levain.
Autolyse: About 1 hour before the levain is ready, mix the 400g bread flour, 50g whole wheat flour, and 330g water in a large bowl. Mix just until no dry flour remains. Cover and let rest for 1 hour.
~5 min
Autolyse jump-starts gluten development and makes the dough more extensible.
Incorporate levain and salt: Add 100g of the mature levain and the 10g of salt to the autolysed dough. Dimple the dough with wet fingers, then perform a series of slap and folds for 5-7 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and holds its shape. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
~10 min
Keep a bowl of water nearby to wet your hands; this prevents the dough from sticking without needing to add extra flour.
Lamination & Inclusions: Lightly mist your work surface with water. Gently stretch the dough out into a large, thin rectangle, being careful not to tear it. Scatter the thoroughly dried cranberries and toasted walnuts evenly over the surface. Fold the dough into thirds like a letter, then fold it in half the other way to enclose the inclusions. Place the dough into a clean, flat-bottomed container. Rest for 45 minutes.
~15 min
Lamination is the best way to add heavy inclusions. Doing it early in the bulk fermentation ensures you do not degas the dough once it has built up air pockets.
Bulk Fermentation & Coil Folds: Perform 3 sets of coil folds, spaced 45 minutes apart. To coil fold, wet your hands, gently lift the dough from the middle until the ends release from the bowl, and let it fold under itself. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat. After the last fold, let the dough rest undisturbed until it has increased in volume by about 40-50% and shows bubbles on the surface.
~5 min
Coil folds build tension gently without degassing the dough or crushing the cranberries and walnuts.
Preshape: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Use your bench knife to gently round the dough into a loose boule, pushing it against the counter to create surface tension. Let it rest uncovered on the bench for 20 minutes.
~5 min
If the dough spreads too much during this rest, it may need a bit more bulk fermentation or a tighter final shape.
Final Shape: Lightly dust the top of the dough, flip it over, and gently stretch the edges, folding them into the center to form a tight boule. Stitch the dough to maximize tension. Dust the banneton generously with rice flour and place the dough in it, seam-side up.
~5 min
Rice flour is crucial for the banneton as it prevents sticking better than wheat flour.
Cold Retard: Place the banneton in a plastic bag or cover tightly, and place it in the refrigerator (approx. 37°F/3°C) for 12 to 16 hours.

This long cold proof slows down yeast activity while bacterial activity continues, creating a complex sourdough tang and beautifully blistered crust.
Preheat the oven: Place your Dutch oven or combo cooker in the oven and preheat to 500°F (260°C) for at least 45 minutes.
~5 min
Scoring: Turn the cold dough out onto a piece of parchment paper. Dust off excess rice flour. Using a fresh lame, score the dough. Suggestion: Make a single deep crescent cut (about 1/2 inch deep) along one side of the boule holding the blade at a 45-degree angle. Add decorative, shallow wheat stalk cuts on the opposite side.
~5 min
Scoring cold dough is much easier. The deep crescent cut allows for an pronounced 'ear', while the shallow cuts expand purely for decoration.
Baking: Carefully transfer the parchment and dough into the preheated Dutch oven. Cover with the lid. Bake at 500°F (260°C) for 20 minutes. Then, remove the lid, reduce the oven temperature to 450°F (230°C), and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes until the crust is deep mahogany brown.
~45 min
You can add an ice cube under the parchment before placing the lid on to create extra steam, which aids oven spring.
Cooling: Remove the bread from the oven and transfer immediately to a wire cooling rack. Let it cool completely for at least 2 hours before slicing.

Slicing sourdough before it cools completely disrupts the crumb structure and can leave you with a gummy interior.

Nutrition

210

Calories

Protein (g)

Carbs (g)

Fat (g)

Sat. Fat (g)

Fiber (g)

Sugar (g)

320

Sodium (mg)

Cholesterol (mg)

Equipment

Dutch oven or combo cooker
Round banneton (proofing basket)
Lame or razor blade
Digital kitchen scale
Bowl scraper
Bench knife
Large mixing bowl
Wire cooling rack
Parchment paper

Tips & Storage

Ensure your dried cranberries are very well dried after soaking; excess moisture will throw off the hydration of the dough.
If any inclusions are poking out of the top of the dough before baking, gently push them into the dough to prevent them from burning in the hot oven.
Environmental temperatures drastically affect fermentation times. Watch the dough, not the clock.
Storage: Store the cooled loaf cut-side down on a wooden cutting board for up to 3 days at room temperature, or wrap tightly in beeswax wrap or a paper bag. For longer storage, slice the cooled loaf, place in a freezer-safe bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Toast slices directly from frozen.