This Walnut Bread is nutty, homey, comforting, and lightly sweet. It is the perfect weekend baking recipe. Enjoy it spread with butter, fig jam, or honey whipped butter!This bread can easily be made without raisins. Simply omit them from the recipe and follow the steps as listed.
1 ⅔cup208g all-purpose flour + additional to dust the countertop
1 ¼teaspoonsalt
½teaspoonground cinnamon
½cupraisins
Cornmeal
Ice cubes
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread the walnut pieces out on a rimmed cookie sheet and toast the nuts for 3-6 minutes, or until golden and nutty smelling. Remove the nuts from the oven and turn off the heat.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the dry yeast, warm water, and maple syrup together until combined. Let sit for 5-10 minutes, or until the mixture starts to look frothy. Whisk 2 tablespoons of the melted butter (or oil) into the yeast mixture.
Add 2 tablespoons of the toasted walnuts and 2 tablespoons of whole wheat flour to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the walnuts are pulverized to the size of crumbs. Pour the walnut mixture into a medium-sized mixing bowl.
In a mixing bowl, whisk the remaining whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, salt, and cinnamon in with the pulverized walnuts and flour.
Using a spatula or wooden spoon, stir ½ cup of the flour into the yeast mixture at a time, fully incorporating the flour into the liquids between additions. As the dough gets thicker, you may want to switch to mixing with your hands.
Turn the dough out onto a flour-dusted surface and knead for 5-10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic, sprinkling and kneading in extra all-purpose flour as needed to keep the flour from sticking to the counter or your hands.
Clean out the mixing bowl, spray or coat it with additional olive oil, and add the dough to the bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for 1 ½ hours, or until doubled in size.
Punch the dough down. Turn the dough out onto a flour-dusted surface. Knead the remaining toasted walnuts and raisins into the dough until just combined.
Shape the dough into a ball and place on a large baking sheet dusted with flour or cornmeal. Using a sharp knife, score the top of the dough with a large X about ½-inch deep. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until puffy and about doubled in size.
Brush the top of the bread with the remaining 1 tablespoon of melted butter or oil. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the bread to the oven. Throw a handful of ice cubes into the bottom of the oven and bake the bread for 15 minutes.
Rotate the bread in the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and it sounds hollow when tapped. Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool on a wire cooling rack at room temperature for about 1 hour, or until fully cooled.
Notes
Leftover bread keeps covered in an airtight container for 2-3 days. It can also be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Warm places for bread proofing: the bread can rise or proof in warm places such as in a sunny window, on the top of the refrigerator, or even in a closed oven (with no heat on).
For the most accurate results, weigh the flour to measure it.