We love this bread for breakfast or with cheese. It’s even good as melba toast! It seems a bit fussa-fussa, but follow the steps as described and it will become a regular on your “Breads to Bake” list. I’ve started weighing my ingredients for bread since the moisture content of flour can vary from season to season so I’ve included weights in this recipe. (And that’s what David says to do)
Mom
- 2 cups (300 grams) craisins, soaked in 2/3 cup hot water for 30 minutes
Sponge
- 2 cups (306 grams) bread flour
- 1 teaspoon yeast
- 2 cups (472 grams) water, room temperature (include craisin soaking water)
- 2 tablespoons honey
Dough:
- 2 cups (306 grams) bread flour
- 2/3 cups (100 grams) whole wheat flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons yeast
- 1 cup (85 grams) finely ground walnuts
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- 3 cups (300 grams) walnuts
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 tablespoons oil
Make sponge: Soak cranberries for 30 minutes. Combine sponge ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk until smooth and set aside.
Whisk together remaining flours, yeast and ground walnuts, sprinkle on top of sponge, cover with plastic wrap and ferment for 1-4 hours.
In a 325°F oven, toast 3 cups walnuts for 8 minutes. Pour onto a clean towel and wrap for 5 minutes. Gently rub walnuts in towel to remove skins. Coarsely chop skinned walnuts and set aside.
Mix dough: After the sponge has fermented, mix with dough hook on low for 1 minute. Scrape down and sprinkle with salt and oil. Let rest for 20 minutes. Mix dough on medium low speed for 7 minutes. Dough should form a ball around the dough hook – add up to 1/2 cup more flour if it is still sticky at this point. Turn onto a floured surface, cover with towel and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll dough into a large rectangle, about 1/2 inch thick. Spread with nuts and Craisins, then roll up the dough up the long way. Fold ends over and knead lightly to form a ball.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to the mixing bowl, add dough and turn over to coat. Cover and let rise until doubled in size (1 1/2 hours). Punch down by folding dough over itself 10-12 times and let rise a second time (again 1 1/2 hours).
Cut dough into three equal parts and shape into oval loaves. Cover, place on parchment and let rise until doubled in size (1+ hour)
Preheat oven to 400°F with pizza stone, if possible. Optional: place pan on bottom of oven for water.
When bread has risen, slash diagonally and slide loaves onto pizza stone. Add water to pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 375°F and bake an additional 30-35 minutes, or until an internal temperature of 190°F.
Remove and cool on racks. Try not to cut until cool. Just try. I dare ya.
Spencer Family Cookbook 