Feed your active sourdough starter several hours before you plan to mix the dough—ideally in the morning if you want to bake the next day. The starter should roughly double in volume and show visible bubbles throughout, indicating it's at peak activity. This is crucial for proper fermentation and rise. I find that a starter fed 4-6 hours before mixing gives the most reliable results.

In a large bowl, combine the peaked starter with filtered water and stir until mostly combined. Add the all-purpose flour and salt, mixing until all flour is incorporated and you have a shaggy, wet dough with no dry flour visible. Cover the bowl and let it rest (autolyse) for 1 hour at room temperature. This resting period allows the flour to fully hydrate and develops the gluten structure naturally, resulting in better texture and rise.

Starting after the 1-hour rest, perform a series of stretch and folds every 45-60 minutes for 2-4 cycles (about 3-4 hours total). Wet your hand, grab one side of the dough, stretch it up and fold it over the center, rotate the bowl 90 degrees, and repeat until you've worked all four sides. During your final fold cycle, sprinkle the butterfly pea powder, lemon zest, and granulated sugar over the dough and incorporate them with your stretches. This builds strength progressively while the pea powder distributes evenly, creating that beautiful natural blue hue throughout.

After your final set of folds, cover the bowl and let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour, then transfer it to the refrigerator and let it ferment overnight (8-12 hours). Cold fermentation develops deep flavor and makes the dough much easier to shape. The slow, cold rise also improves the bread's structure and crumb.

Remove the cold dough from the refrigerator and gently place it on a lightly floured work surface. Carefully stretch the dough into a rough square or rectangle about 8-10 inches across, being gentle to avoid deflating it too much. Crumble or distribute the blueberry goat cheese evenly over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges. For a round loaf, fold the edges toward the center and seal; for an oval, fold it in half and seal along the seam. I like to keep the shaping minimal with cold dough—too much manipulation can toughen it.

Place the shaped dough seam-side up in a floured banneton basket or any round bowl lined with a flour-dusted kitchen towel. While the dough undergoes its final proof in the refrigerator for 2 hours, preheat your Dutch oven (with lid) in a 475°F oven for at least 20 minutes. The cold dough will proof slowly in the fridge, and the super-hot Dutch oven creates the steam needed for a gorgeous, crispy crust. The combination of cold dough and scorching-hot vessel gives you maximum oven spring.

Carefully remove the preheated Dutch oven from the oven (watch for steam!) and invert the cold dough directly into it, seam-side down. Using a sharp scoring knife or lame, make one confident slash across the top—this directs the dough's expansion. Cover with the lid and bake at 475°F for 23 minutes, which traps steam for crust development. Remove the lid, reduce heat to 450°F, and bake uncovered for another 23 minutes until the loaf is deep golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack and let it rest for at least 30 minutes before slicing—this allows the crumb structure to set properly so it won't be gummy inside.