1. 1. Combine the Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, gently whisk together your active sourdough starter and the warm water until the starter is mostly dissolved. The mixture should look milky and slightly bubbly.

2. 2. Add Dry Ingredients (Except Salt, Cranberries, and Zest): Add the all-purpose flour to the wet mixture. Use a wooden spoon or your hands to mix until no dry flour remains and a shaggy dough forms. Do not knead. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes. This is called autolyse, and it helps the flour fully hydrate.

3. 3. Incorporate Salt, Cranberries, and Orange Zest: After the rest, sprinkle the salt, dried cranberries, and orange zest over the dough. With wet hands, gently fold the dough over itself several times in the bowl, ensuring the salt and additions are evenly distributed. The dough will still be sticky.

4. 4. Perform Stretch and Folds (Bulk Fermentation): Cover the bowl again. Over the next 2-3 hours, perform a series of “stretch and folds” every 30 minutes. To do this, lightly wet your hands, grab a portion of the dough from the edge, stretch it upwards, and fold it over to the center. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat 3-4 times. This builds strength in the dough. After these initial folds, let the dough continue to ferment at room temperature (around 70-75F or 21-24C) for another 8-11 hours, or until it has visibly increased in volume by about 50-75% and looks bubbly.

5. 5. Shape the Loaf and Cold Proof: Gently turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Shape it into a round or oval loaf, being careful not to deflate it too much. Transfer the shaped dough, seam-side up, into a floured banneton basket or a bowl lined with a floured kitchen towel. Cover and refrigerate for 8-12 hours (or up to 24 hours). This cold proof slows fermentation and develops deeper flavors.

6. 6. Preheat Oven and Dutch Oven: About 45 minutes before baking, place a Dutch oven with its lid into your oven and preheat to 450F (232C). This ensures the Dutch oven is scorching hot, creating a perfect steamy environment for the crust.

7. 7. Bake the Loaf: Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven. Gently invert the cold dough into the hot Dutch oven. Score the top of the dough with a sharp knife or razor blade (a simple cross or a single slash works well). Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes.

8. 8. Finish Baking for a Golden Crust: Remove the lid from the Dutch oven and continue baking for another 15-25 minutes, or until the crust is deeply golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 200-210F (93-99C). Carefully remove the loaf from the Dutch oven and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely for at least 1-2 hours before slicing. Slicing too early can result in a gummy texture.