CHOCOLATE-CHERRY PECAN BREAD

Steps:

• Mix flours, sugar, salt, yeast, and water in a large bowl.
• Add cherries, chocolate chips, and pecans. Stir well to make a very soft dough, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
• Let rest at room temperature overnight, or for at least 12 hours; the dough will be bubbly and puffy.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and fold it onto itself a few times.
• Let it rest 15 minutes, then form it into a ball.
• Place it in a lightly greased bowl, smooth side down. Cover and let rise at room temperature about 2 hours, until a slight indentation remains when poked with a finger.
• During the last 30 minutes of rising, preheat the oven to 450°F and place a bread crock (or a heavy, 4- to 4 1/2-quart oven-safe pot) in the oven while it heats.
• When the dough is risen, remove the crock from the oven, and turn the dough out of the bowl and into the crock; the smooth side will be facing up.
• Shake the crock gently to settle the dough, then cover with the lid and return to the oven.
• Bake the bread for 20 minutes, then remove the lid and continue to bake another 30 to 40 minutes, until the bread is deep brown in color and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers about 205°F.
• Remove the crock from the oven, turn the bread onto a rack, and cool before slicing. Yield: 1 loaf.