November 5, 2024 - 5:26pm
How to use cranberries as an inclusion?
I'm sorry if this isn't the correct forum, but I'm not sure where to post it, so...
I want to make a sourdough walnut and cranberry inclusion loaf for Thanksgiving, but I am not sure how to do the cranberries. I've never eaten fresh, so I am not sure of their bitterness/sourness. Would it be better to use fresh or dried? If fresh, should I do anything to prepare them beforehand? Would fresh be too overwhelmingly sour in a sourdough? Would the addition of barley malt syrup or some other form of sugar be advisable?
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A quick internet search came up with this cranberry-walnut biscuit recipe. I would think you could make bread using the same inclusion method. The trick with cranberries is to use enough sugar to deal with the sourness but not so much it gets too sweet. I'm a less-sweet person, myself.
https://classic-recipes.com/cranberry-biscuit-recipe/
TomP
For a sourdough (not sweet) bread, I’d choose dried cranberries because they are usually sweetened. My preference is to chop them slightly so that they get distributed more evenly in the dough. If you like larger chunks, you can leave them whole.
For quick breads, which are usually quite sweet, I like the tartness of fresh cranberries. Given the size and texture of fresh cranberries, I usually give them a few pulses in a food processor to break them down to lentil-size or smaller pieces.
Paul
Dried Cranberries, but plumped with a bit of boiling water (mix when making levain the night before)...
Here you go...
Typically they are used dry, as craisins. Depending on their condition they may need to be soaked or used as is.
My cranberry walnut bread :
100% whole grain
https://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/68298/20210517-school-clas-wholegrain-cranberry-walnut-bread
White
https://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/64005/20200514-clas-cranberry-walnut-bread
I was also looking for a fresh cranberry bread to make during the Holidays. I found this one a couple of weeks ago. I have not tried it but looked real interesting, a bit different from the other recipes out there.
Cranberry Wild Rice Sourdough Bread: A Recipe from the Farm - TheFarmChicken
I'm going to do a simple formula. Just a 65% hydration, 1/4 whole wheat. It seems like rehydrated dried cranberries is the way to go. I bought a jar of barley malt syrup for bagels I have yet to make. If I were to add that for sweetness, what percentage should I use?
I finally pushed myself to make my proprietary fall, yeasted cranberry raisin pumpkin bread.
It is looking good so far.
The original formula this bread evolved from is an old school Julia Child recipe. Hers was walnut cranberry. Regarding the fresh cranberries, while they are tart, baked into this sweet bread they work very well. If you search my name you should find the finished product. I am not sure if I blogged it. This one will be done tomorrow or late tonight.
I found the original post on this great holiday bread. I am sure I posted my formula here someplace. That being said I will photograph the three pages in you are interested. Meanwhile Julia's recipe is in a link 🔗
Pumpkin bread