Orange Cranberry Artisan Sourdough Bread Recipe

Servings slices (1 loaf)

Calories 235

Prep Time 40

Cook Time 50

Resting Time 19

Total Time 20 30

sliced of orange cranberry bread fanned out

INGREDIENTS

Sweet Levain

15 g sourdough starter
15 g honey or sugar
50 g water
60 g bread flour

Main Dough

310 g warm water
All of the sweet levain prepared above
25 g brown sugar light or dark
1 tsp vanilla extract
490 g bread flour

Citrus Sugar + Salt

9 g (2 tsp) orange zest from 2 oranges
25 g sugar
10 g salt

Cranberry Inclusion

150 g (about 5 oz) sweetened dried cranberries
85 g (1/3 cup) freshly squeezed orange juice from the 2 oranges you zested

Orange Glaze (Optional)

120 g powdered sugar
1 orange zested and juiced (See Notes)

Before You Begin

For shopping purposes: This recipe requires 2 oranges (plus 1 more if you plan to make the optional orange glaze without using the leftover cranberry soaking liquid). We'll zest and juice them for maximum orange flavor.

This recipe was developed and is written in metric (grams). Volume measurements (cups and spoons) are automatically converted and haven't been tested — use them at your own risk. For best results, use a kitchen scale.

Equipment

Instructions

Make the sweet levain the night before. In a jar, mix 15 g sourdough starter, 15 g honey (or sugar), 50 g water, and 60 g bread flour. Stir until fully combined, then cover loosely and let it ferment overnight at room temperature (about 10–12 hours). By morning, it should be bubbly and at least doubled in size.
Mix the dough. In a large mixing bowl, combine 310 g warm water, All of the sweet levain, 25 g brown sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla extract, stirring gently to dissolve the starter. Add 490 g bread flour and mix with a Danish dough whisk or your hands until no dry flour remains. The dough will be shaggy and sticky – that’s normal! Cover with plastic wrap or a bowl cover and let rest for 1 hour (this is called a fermentolyse).
Prepare the citrus sugar. While the dough rests, zest and juice 2 oranges — that should yield about 9 g (2 tsp) zest and 85 g (1/3 cup) juice (you'll use it in the next step). Combine that 9 g (2 tsp) orange zest with 25 g sugar using a mortar and pestle (or rub them together with your fingers) until fragrant.
Hydrate the dried cranberries. In a pint-sized mason jar (or small bowl), combine 150 g (about 5 oz) sweetened dried cranberries with 85 g (1/3 cup) freshly squeezed orange juice (that you prepared in the previous step). (Short on orange juice? Add water.) Let them soak, shaking or stirring them occasionally, while the dough rests.
Incorporate the salt and citrus sugar. After the dough has rested for an hour, sprinkle 10 g salt and the citrus sugar mixture over the dough. Use your fingertips to dimple it in, then switch to slap and folds or kneading to fully incorporate. This step takes about 3-5 minutes. The dough will start out rubbery and stringy but will become smoother as you work it. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
Perform a set of stretch and folds. To do this, grab one side of the dough, stretch it upward, then fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl and repeat on all four sides. Keep going until the dough resists being stretched. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
Incorporate the cranberries during the second set of stretch and folds. Drain the cranberries (save the leftover juice for the optional glaze or a cocktail/mocktail!), then spread them on a paper towel and pat the outsides completely dry. They should be plump but dry to the touch. Add a quarter of the cranberries at a time, layering them evenly as you perform each fold to ensure even distribution. Cover and rest for 30-60 minutes.
Optional coil fold. After 30-60 minutes, if your dough seems slack or hasn't held its shape, perform a final coil fold to build additional dough strength. To do this, lift the center of the dough, allowing the edges to drape down, then tuck them underneath as you set the dough back down.
Finish bulk fermentation. Cover the dough and let it finish fermenting until it is puffy, jiggly, and has visible bubbles on the surface and sides. The exact amount of time this takes will vary. For reference, it took my dough about 7 hours at 73°F (23°C). The timing begins when we mix our dough.
Shape the dough. Lightly flour your work surface. Gently turn the dough out of the bowl and stretch into a rectangular shape. Imagine the dough being divided into three equal vertical portions. Lift the left third over to the center of the dough. Repeat with the right portion by lifting it up and over the dough.
Starting at the top of your dough, roll it down towards you like a log. Pinch the seams on the ends.
Place seam-side up into a floured, towel-lined banneton (cranberries can stain). Stitch the seam closed, dust with rice flour, and cover.
Cold proof overnight. Refrigerate overnight (8-24 hours).
Preheat: When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) conventional with a Dutch oven inside.
Score: Transfer the cold dough to parchment paper or a bread sling and score the top with a bread lame.
Bake: Place a half sheet pan underneath the Dutch oven to prevent a burnt bottom. Bake for 40 minutes, covered. Remove the lid and check the internal temperature. If it’s below 190°F (88°C), re-cover and keep baking, checking every 5 minutes until it reaches 190°F.
Then bake 5–10 minutes uncovered, until golden brown and the center reaches 200–210°F (93–99°C).
Cool: Place baked loaf on a cooling rack and let it fully cool before slicing (about 2 hours). If you slice it warm, you may get a gummy texture — cooling allows the interior to fully set.
Optional glaze. Zest and juice 1 orange (or use your leftover cranberry soaking liquid). In a small bowl, whisk the zest into 120 g powdered sugar; then add the juice a little at a time until the glaze is thick but drizzly. You may not need all of it. When ready to serve, drizzle over individual slices.

Notes

Optional orange glaze: Use the zest and juice of 1 orange, or the leftover liquid from the cranberry soak. Add the liquid gradually; you may not need all of it.

Loaf pan option: Shape the dough and place it seam-side down in a loaf pan (no banneton needed). Bake at the same temperature using the double loaf pan method (a second pan inverted on top). Expect it to take about 10–15 minutes longer than the Dutch oven method. Check that the internal temperature is at least 190°F (88°C) before removing the top pan, then bake uncovered for the final 5–10 minutes to set the crust.

Nutrition facts assume 12 slices in 1 loaf.

Nutrition Facts

Orange Cranberry Artisan Sourdough Bread Recipe

Serving Size

1 slice

Amount per Serving

Calories

235

% Daily Value*

Fat

Saturated Fat

0.1

Polyunsaturated Fat

0.4

Monounsaturated Fat

0.1

Sodium

325

Potassium

Carbohydrates

Fiber

Sugar

Protein

Vitamin A

Vitamin C

Calcium

Iron

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.