🍁 Sweet maple, toasted pecans, and a ribbon of cinnamon-sugar make this sourdough loaf a showstopper. With a tender, airy crumb and a hint of crunch, it’s perfect for breakfast toast, holiday brunch, or simply tearing apart while it’s still warm.
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 120 g active sourdough starter
- 330 g water
- 65 g maple syrup
- 500 g white unbleached organic flour
- 12 g salt
Mix-ins During Stretch & Folds
- 100 g pecans, chopped
Filling (added at shaping)
- 100 g pecans, chopped
- 40 g rolled oats (not quick oats)
- 90 g brown sugar
- 20 g all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp cinnamon
Method
1. Pre-mix & Rest (Autolyse)
Combine the starter, water, and maple syrup in a large mixing bowl. Stir until the starter is well dispersed. Add flour and salt, mixing just until no dry bits remain. The dough will look rough and scrappy—this is perfect. Cover and let it rest for about 1 hour.
2. Strengthen the Dough
Using damp hands, grab the edge of the dough, stretch it upward, and fold it back over itself. Work around the bowl until the dough forms into a smoother ball (about 20–25 folds). Cover and let it rest for 30 minutes.
3. Stretch & Fold with Pecans
Perform 4 sets of stretch-and-folds, spacing them 15–30 minutes apart. On your second or third set, sprinkle in 50 g chopped pecans and fold them in gently.
4. Bulk Fermentation
Cover and allow the dough to ferment at room temperature until it looks airy and expanded. Maple syrup speeds things up a bit, so watch carefully.
Meanwhile, mix together the filling (pecans, oats, cinnamon, brown sugar, and flour). Set aside.
5. Shape & Fill
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently stretch it into a rectangle. Sprinkle on a layer of the cinnamon-pecan mixture, fold one side over, sprinkle more, fold again, and continue layering until you’re satisfied. Roll the dough up like a log, tucking the filling inside. Create surface tension by gently pulling the loaf toward you. Place it seam-side up into a banneton.
6. Cold Proof
Cover with a damp towel or slip the banneton into a plastic bag. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours (overnight is ideal).
7. Preheat the Oven
Place your Dutch oven inside and preheat to 230°C (450°F). Give it at least 45–60 minutes to get ripping hot.
8. Bake
Remove the dough from the fridge. Tip it onto parchment paper, score the top with a razor or sharp knife, and carefully lower it into the Dutch oven. Bake covered for 30 minutes, then uncover and reduce the temperature to 210°C (410°F). Bake another 10–15 minutes, until deeply golden.
9. Cool & Enjoy
Transfer to a wire rack immediately after baking. Let it cool completely before slicing (if you can resist!).
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