Same day (counter ferment) baking schedule:

Feed your starter the night before to allow it to become active and bubbly (I like to do it as late as possible, right before going to bed).

Around 6-7am the day you want to make your loaf: In a large bowl, weigh out your starter, water, pumpkin, and maple syrup. Mix together until smooth.

Add your flour and salt to the pumpkin mixture. Mix for a minute or so with a wooden spoon to help get the mixing started, then finish mixing with clean hands until everything is well combined. Dough will be shaggy and a bit sticky. Cover with a kitchen towel.

Let covered dough sit for 2 hours. During this 2 hours, perform a stretch and fold every 30 minutes, for a total of 4 stretch and folds.

Cover your bowl with plastic wrap and let sit on the counter for 4-5 hours to allow to double in size.

After dough has doubled in size, make your cinnamon sugar mixture and set aside. Turn dough out onto a clean and floured work surface.

Stretch dough out as much as you can, without tearing, into a large rectangle.

Sprinkle about 1/2 of your cinnamon sugar mixture over this rectangle.

Perform a letter fold: Fold one long side of your rectangle into the center. Repeat this fold with the other side of your rectangle. Roll the dough from the bottom into itself, sprinkling more cinnamon sugar mixture each time you fold the dough (see images above for visuals).

Pull the ball of dough toward you, then gently push forward. Repeat this a few times to continue building tension and shaping your dough into a smooth ball. Let sit on the counter for 15 minutes.

Repeat the letter shaping process, only this time much more gently and only stretching the dough the slightest bit each time you fold. Gently push and bowl dough again into a smooth ball, then use a bench scraper to turn dough over into a lined and floured proofing basket, seam side up.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours to let dough rest and continue rising.

In the last hour of refrigeration, preheat your oven to 450°F with your cast iron pot.

Remove dough onto a piece of parchment paper sprinkled with flour. Flour the top of your loaf. Score your loaf with some shallow cuts and one deep “C” score. Carefully place into your preheated pot/bread oven. Cover pot and bake for 35 minutes. Remove lid and continue baking another 5-10 minutes, until crust begins to brown.

Allow loaf to completely cool before slicing and enjoying!

Overnight refrigeration bulk ferment schedule:

Feed your starter as early as possible in the morning to allow it to become active and bubbly.

Sometime between 12pm-2pm the day before you want to make your loaf: In a large bowl, weigh out your starter, water, pumpkin, and maple syrup. Mix together until smooth.

Add your flour and salt to the pumpkin mixture. Mix for a minute or so with a wooden spoon to help get the mixing started, then finish mixing with clean hands until everything is well combined. Dough will be shaggy and a bit sticky. Cover with a kitchen towel.

Let covered dough sit for 2 hours. During this 2 hours, perform a stretch and fold every 30 minutes, for a total of 4 stretch and folds.

Cover your bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight to allow dough to about double in size.

The following morning, between 6-9am: Make your cinnamon sugar mixture and set aside. Turn dough out onto a clean and floured work surface.

Stretch dough out as much as you can, without tearing, into a large rectangle.

Sprinkle about 1/2 of your cinnamon sugar mixture over this rectangle.

Perform a letter fold: Fold one long side of your rectangle into the center. Repeat this fold with the other side of your rectangle. Roll the dough from the bottom into itself, sprinkling more cinnamon sugar mixture each time you fold the dough (see images above for visuals).

Pull the ball of dough toward you, then gently push forward. Repeat this a few times to continue building tension and shaping your dough into a smooth ball. Let sit on the counter for 15 minutes.

Repeat the letter shaping process, only this time much more gently and only stretching the dough the slightest bit each time you fold. Gently push and bowl dough again into a smooth ball, then use a bench scraper to turn dough over into a lined and floured proofing basket, seam side up.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours to let dough rest and continue rising.

In the last hour of refrigeration, preheat your oven to 450°F with your cast iron pot.

Remove dough onto a piece of parchment paper sprinkled with flour. Flour the top of your loaf. Score your loaf with some shallow cuts and one deep “C” score. Carefully place into your preheated pot/bread oven. Cover pot and bake for 35 minutes. Remove lid and continue baking another 5-10 minutes, until crust begins to brown.

Allow loaf to completely cool before slicing and enjoying!