Pistachios & Dried Cranberries Sourdough Loaf
146kcal
Ingredients
Sourdough Starter Levain (Night Before)
- 5 g Sourdough starter culture
- 35 g Water
- 30 g All-purpose flour or bread flour
- 5 g Rye flour
Main Dough Base
- 240 g Bread flour (90%)
- 60 g Stone-ground whole wheat flour (20%)
- 207 g Water (69% – main autolyse water)
- 27 g Cold water (9% – bassinage adjustment water)
- 60 g Active sourdough starter levain (20% – from the stage above)
- 6 g Salt (2%)
Festive Inclusions
- 60 g Unsalted pistachios (lightly toasted and roughly chopped)
- 50 g Dried cranberries
Equipment
- Stand Mixer (fitted with dough hook attachment)
- Proofing Basket (Banneton) (or a clean bowl lined with a dry kitchen towel)
- Cast Iron Pan with Lid (or heavy Dutch oven for steam)
- Sharp Scoring Lame (or fresh razor blade)
Method
- Night Before: Build Levain (7:00 AM / 10:00 PM) In a small jar, whisk 5 g starter into 35 g water. Add 30 g all-purpose/bread flour and 5 g rye flour. Mix well, cover loosely, and let ferment at room temperature 74–78°F (23–26°C) for 8–10 hours until peak volume (at least triples in size).
- Day 2: Autolyse, Bassinage & Mixing Autolyse (5:00 PM): In stand mixer bowl, combine 240 g bread flour, 60 g whole wheat flour, and 207 g water. Mix into a shaggy dough, cover, and rest for 1 hour. Starter Mix (6:00 PM): Add 60 g active starter levain. Mix on low speed (or KitchenAid speed 3) for 3–4 minutes until incorporated. Cover and rest for 30 minutes. Salt & Bassinage (6:30 PM): Add 6 g salt and 27 g cold bassinage water. Mix on low speed for 5–6 minutes until dough comes together while remaining slightly sticky on the bottom. Rest for 30 minutes at 74–78°F (23–26°C).
- Lamination & Bulk Fermentation Lamination (7:00 PM): Lightly wet work surface and hands. Stretch dough as thin as possible into a sheet without tearing. Scatter 60 g pistachios and 50 g dried cranberries evenly across dough. Fold into a neat package and let rest for 45 minutes. Stretch & Folds: Perform 3 sets of stretch-and-folds spaced 45 minutes apart (7:45 PM, 8:30 PM, and 9:15 PM). Final Rise: Let dough proof untouched for 30 minutes at 76–80°F (24–27°C) until puffy with surface bubbles (~50% rise).
- Preshaping, Shaping & Cold Retard Preshaping (9:45 PM): Turn dough onto floured surface, flip floured-side down, fold outer edges inward, and shape into a loose round. Rest uncovered on counter for 30 minutes. Final Shaping (10:15 PM): Flip dough floured-side down, pull right and left corners into the center, and roll tightly away from you into a smooth log (batard). Transfer seam-side up to a well-floured proofing basket. Cover with plastic and rest at 80°F (27°C) for 15 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator for 14–24 hours of cold retard.
- Day 3: Bake Preheat oven to 500°F (260°C) with a heavy cast iron pan and lid inside for 45–60 minutes. Turn cold dough out onto parchment paper and score with a sharp lame. Load loaf into hot cast iron pan, cover with lid, and bake at 500°F (260°C) for 15 minutes. Remove lid, lower temperature to 450°F (232°C), and bake uncovered for 20 additional minutes until deep golden brown. Cool for 2 hours before slicing.
Nutrition
Calories146kcalCarbohydrates26gProtein5gFat3gSaturated Fat0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat1gMonounsaturated Fat1gCholesterol1mgSodium37mgPotassium97mgFiber2gSugar4gVitamin A22IUVitamin C0.3mgCalcium12mgIron1mg
Notes
- Why Lamination is Superior to Mixing Inclusions Early: Adding heavy components like nuts and dried fruits during the initial mixing phase can weigh down the dough and cleanly slice through fragile gluten strands. Waiting until the 10:00 AM lamination step allows you to spread the pistachios and cranberries evenly across a fully developed, relaxed sheet of dough, safely trapping them in beautiful layers without sacrificing your open crumb or explosive oven spring.
- Managing Cranberry Hydration Muck: Dried cranberries are highly hygroscopic, meaning they will relentlessly suck moisture directly out of the surrounding dough if left unchecked. If your dried cranberries feel exceptionally stiff or dry out of the package, soak them in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain and pat them completely dry with a paper towel before laminating. This keeps them plump and prevents them from drying out the surrounding crumb.
- Achieving the Perfect Roast on the Pistachios: For the best possible flavor profile, lightly toast your shelled pistachios in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until they are fragrant. Let them cool completely before chopping and laminating them into the dough. Adding warm nuts directly to the dough will alter the core fermentation temperature and cause the dough to run hot, which can lead to overproofing.