Wild Rice, Cranberry, And Cornmeal Sourdough

This hearty sourdough loaf features earthy chew from cornmeal and wild rice; tart-sweet dried cranberries add color and zing.

Yield: 1 large loaf.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (227g) ripe (fed) sourdough starter
• 1 cup (227g) lukewarm water
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 cup (138g) whole grain cornmeal
• 1 cup (113g) King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 cup (120g) King Arthur Artisan Bread Flour
• 1 cup (164g) cooked wild rice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (113g) dried cranberries

Directions

1. For the dough: In a large bowl, combine the starter, water, yeast, cornmeal, and flours. Mix and knead for 5 minutes. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.
2. Knead in the cooked wild rice, salt, and dried cranberries. Knead until the dough is elastic, 6 minutes by hand or 3 minutes using a stand mixer. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes.
3. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and fold it in thirds. Return to the bowl, cover, and let rest for 20 minutes.
4. Shape the dough into a boule (ball) and place in a greased bread bowl. Cover and let rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours (or refrigerate overnight).
5. To bake: If the dough was chilled overnight, take it out of the refrigerator before preheating the oven to 475°F. Have an oven-proof skillet on hand with 1" of water in it. When the dough holds a dent when gently pressed, bring the water in the skillet to a simmer and put it in the oven on the lowest rack.
6. Place the bread in the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F, cover loosely with foil if it’s browning too fast, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes more, until the center reads 190°F when measured with a digital thermometer. Remove from the oven and tip out of the bread bowl to cool on a rack.