In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, yeast and orange zest.
Add dried cranberries and stir. Add water and mix until a shaggy mixture forms.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 1 hour.
After 1 hour, leaving the dough in the bowl, use the stretch and fold method, which is placing your hand in the bowl on one edge, pulling it, and laying it over the top of the dough; turn the bowl one-quarter turn and repeat.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 1 hour.
After the second hour of resting, use the stretch and fold method again and repeat the above. Stretch and fold helps to build gluten and gives the bread a great texture.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside overnight (8-10 hours).
In the morning, turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, do a stretch and fold, and make a nice ball with the dough. In a parchment-lined bowl, place the dough in the bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and then a kitchen towel. (Dough will continue to rise for approximately another 1.5 hours as you continue to the next step) After 1 hour, the dough will continue to rise while you move on to the preheating step. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees; place a covered cast iron pot with a lid, and heat the empty pot until the oven reaches 450 degrees. This should take at least 30 minutes.
Carefully remove the hot-covered cast iron pot from the oven and drop the dough-filled parchment paper in the center.
Using scissors, make three or more cuts on the top of the dough and if using, sprinkle the baker’s sugar over the top.
Fold any excess parchment to the outside of the pot and cover the cast iron pot with the cast iron lid.
Bake for 35 minutes, remove the lid, and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
Bread should sound hallow when you tap the top or when the internal temperature of the bread reached 190 degrees.
Once bread is finished, using the parchment paper, you should be easily able to remove the bread from the cast iron pot.
Place on a cooling rack and let cool for at least one hour before cutting.