Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 3 cups All-Purpose Flour + more for Dusting ({Bread Flour can be substituted})
  • 1/2 tsp. Active Dry Yeast
  • 2 tbsp. Brown Sugar
  • 2 tsp. Sea Salt
  • 3/4 tsp. Cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
  • 1 cup Dried Cranberries
  • 2/3 cup Chopped Walnuts
  • 2 tsp. Grated Orange Zest
  • 1 1/2 cups Warm Water ({approx. 100 degrees})
  • 1/2 tsp. Cornmeal

Instruction

  • Carefully measure 3 cups of Flour by spooning into a measuring cup, and leveling off with a knife, and place flour in a large glass mixing bowl.
  • Add to Flour in bowl: Yeast, Brown Sugar, Salt, Cinnamon and Nutmeg, and whisk until well combined.
  • Then add Cranberries, Walnuts and Orange Zest to flour mixture, and stir well with a large wooden spoon.
  • Pour in 1 1/2 cups Warm Water, and continue stirring until wet, shaggy dough forms. Note: If dough is too wet, add a little more flour; If dough is too dry, add just a LITTLE more water {1 tsp. at a time}, until it turns into a wet, shaggy dough when stirring.
  • Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm spot of your home {75 - 90 degrees}, and allow to rise for approx. 18 hours. There should be small bubbles that form on the top and sides.
  • After 18 hours, cut rectangular piece of parchment paper to fit inside bottom and sides of 5.5 quart - 6 quart dutch oven, place paper in dutch oven, and firmly press creases along the sides. {this will help the paper not indent into your bread while baking}
  • Then remove parchment paper from dutch oven, sprinkle cornmeal in a circle in the center, and set aside.
  • Sprinkle clean countertop or cutting board with flour and carefully remove dough from bowl using a small plastic dough scraper or rubber spatula, place onto counter or cutting board, and sprinkle dough with a little more flour.
  • Using well floured hands, fold dough over a few times, then quickly shape into round ball with your hands. You'll sort of stretch the dough from the top and fold the excess underneath a few times. A bench scraper can help with the shaping and tucking as well.
  • With well floured hands {and a floured bench scraper if you have one} carefully pick up dough ball and place down on top of cornmeal on the parchment paper. If it lost it's shape a bit during the move, just quickly touch up the shape to round it back out.
  • Lightly cover with plastic wrap, and allow dough to rise for 30 more minutes at room temperature.
  • While dough is rising, place dutch oven with lid on inside oven, then preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  • After 30 minutes, once the dough has finished rising, use a serrated knife or bread lame to cut two intersecting lines in the top of the dough, like a plus sign. This will give the finished crust a beautiful look, and allow the bread to expand a bit when baking.
  • Remove dutch oven from oven {it will be HOT!}, remove lid, and carefully pick up parchment paper with dough and transfer to dutch oven without touching the dutch oven. Place lid back on, and return to oven.
  • Bake bread for 35 minutes covered, then remove lid and bake for additional 7 - 10 minutes uncovered, until crust is golden brown.
  • Remove dutch oven from your oven once bread is done baking, and lift parchment paper out of dutch oven to remove the bread.
  • Transfer bread to wire cooling rack, and allow to cool for 1 hour before slicing. This will help prevent a gummy center, because the bread continues to bake a bit as it cools.
  • Once your bread has cooled, slice up some pieces, then lather your slices with some Cinnamon Honey Butter or Cinnamon Brown Sugar Butter and ENJOY!