Simple Joys: Walnut Bread

I take solace in baking bread: the comfort of a familiar process, the contentment of dough in my hands, the glee at a loaf out of the oven. Simple Joys.

This walnut bread is one of Loving Husband’s favourites so I make it once a week. It is packed with walnuts & wholewheat flour (read: healthier) and is great for slathering with butter. For those who are not fans of kneading, this recipe happily does not require a great deal of it. 

Walnut Loaf

adapted from James Morton’s “Brilliant Bread”

• 300g wholemeal flour (I use Bob Red Mill Stoneground Organic Wholewheat Flour)
• 200g bread flour (I use Bob Red Mill Artisan Bread Flour)
• 1 sachet (7g) yeast
• 8g salt
• 125g full fat milk
• 30g runny honey
• 200g tepid water
• 200g walnuts

1. In a large bowl, mix together both flours, yeast and salt. Mix the yeast and salt on opposite sides of the bowl, keeping them separate.
2. Add all the milk, honey and water. Combine into a wet dough.
3. Cover and rest the dough for 30 min, if you have the time (I typically rest mine for 15 min). Knead the dough in the bowl until pliable and then off in walnuts. Keep kneading till they are fairly well distributed.
4. Cover and rest the dough for 1-1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
5. Turn out the dough on a lightly floured surface and shape as desired.
6. Prove on a floured pan (I used a large loaf tin) for at least 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
7. Preheat the oven to 210 degrees.
8. Once proved, score the top of the bread with a quick slash. Bake for approximately 35-40 mins or until golden brown.

 

This post is my contribution to Friendly Friday Photo: Simple Joys hosted by Sandy at TheSandyChronicles and Amanda at SomethingToPonderAbout