Sourdough Fruit Bread

Here’s a delicious, hearty, and naturally leavened Sourdough Fruit Bread recipe — slightly sweet, chewy, and loaded with dried fruit. Perfect toasted with butter, served with cheese, or just as a snack.

🍞 Sourdough Fruit Bread

Ingredients:

For the Dough:

500g (about 4 cups) bread flour
100g (about 1/2 cup) active sourdough starter (fed and bubbly)
300g (1 1/4 cups) water
10g (2 tsp) salt
1 tsp cinnamon (optional, for warmth)

For the Fruit Mix:

150g (1 cup) mixed dried fruit (e.g. raisins, cranberries, chopped dates, figs, or apricots)
Optional: zest of 1 orange
Optional: 50g (1/2 cup) chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, or almonds)

🕒 Timeline Overview:

This is a same-day or overnight recipe depending on room temperature and proofing method.

Instructions:

1. Soak the fruit:

In a small bowl, soak the dried fruit in warm water or juice (orange juice or tea is great!) for 15–30 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. Mix the dough:

In a large bowl, mix flour, water, and starter until combined (no salt yet). Cover and let rest (autolyse) for 30 minutes.

3. Add salt and cinnamon:

Sprinkle salt and cinnamon over the dough. Mix well using the “pinch and fold” method or knead briefly to incorporate.

4. Add soaked fruit (and nuts):

Gently knead or stretch and fold the fruit into the dough until evenly distributed. This may take a few folds throughout bulk fermentation.

5. Bulk fermentation:

Cover and let the dough rise at room temp for 4–6 hours, performing stretch-and-folds every 30–45 minutes during the first 2 hours.

6. Shape:

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Shape into a round or oval loaf and place into a floured proofing basket or bowl.

7. Final proof:

Let rise for 1–2 hours at room temp or refrigerate overnight (8–12 hours) for better flavor and structure.

8. Bake:

Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C) with a Dutch oven or baking stone inside.
Score the loaf and bake:
- With Dutch oven: 20 minutes covered, 20–25 uncovered.
- Without: Steam the oven and bake 40–45 minutes until deep golden.

9. Cool & serve:

Let cool at least 1 hour before slicing. Great toasted with butter or cream cheese!

🍊 Variations:

Add a splash of vanilla or rum to the fruit soak.
Mix in spices like cardamom or nutmeg for a holiday vibe.
For sweeter bread, add 1–2 tbsp honey or maple syrup to the dough.

Would you like a simplified version with commercial yeast instead of sourdough?