French Walnut Bread Recipes

FRENCH WALNUT BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, thoroughly stir together the whole wheat and white flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Vigorously stir in the water, scraping down the bowl and mixing until the dough is well blended and smooth. If the mixture is too dry to incorporate all the flour, stir in just enough water (a bit at a time) to blend the ingredients; don't over-moisten, as the dough should be very stiff. Brush or spray the top with oil. Tightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap. If desired, for best flavor or for convenience, you can refrigerate the dough for 3 to 10 hours. Then let rise at cool room temperature for 12 to 18 hours.
• Spread the larger amount of walnut halves on a baking sheet and lightly toast, stirring several times, in a preheated 325°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until fragrant and just lightly browned. Let cool. Chop finely (in a food processor, if desired).
• Vigorously stir the cooled walnuts into the dough. If it is not stiff, stir in enough additional whole wheat flour to make it hard to stir. Using an oiled rubber spatula, lift and fold the dough in towards the center, working all the way around the bowl. Brush a 3- to 4-quart Dutch oven with oil, then dust with flour, tipping pot to cover completely; knock out any excess flour. Invert dough into prepared pot. Brush or spray the top with oil, then smooth out the surface with an oiled rubber spatula or fingertips. Cut 1/2-inch-deep slashes to form an x in the center of the top; well-oiled kitchen shears work best. Put the 4 perfect, untoasted walnut halves in the angles of the "x" for garnish: press down very firmly to embed them. Cover the pot with its lid.
• For a 1 1/2- to 2 1/2-hour regular rise, let stand at warm room temperature; for a 1- to 2-hour accelerated rise, let stand in a turned-off microwave along with 1 cup of boiling-hot water; or for an extended rise, refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours, then set out at room temperature. Continue until the dough doubles from its deflated size.
• 15 minutes before baking time, place a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 400°F Lightly dust the dough top with whole wheat flour.
• Bake on the lower rack, covered, for 45 minutes. Remove the lid and continue baking for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the top is well browned and a skewer inserted in the thickest part comes out with just a few particles clinging to the bottom (or until the center registers 207 to 210°F on an instant-read thermometer). Then bake for 5 minutes more to ensure the center is done. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove the loaf to the rack, running a knife around the edges to loosen it, if necessary.
• The loaf tastes and slices best at room temperature. Cool completely before storing airtight in plastic or foil. The bread will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days, and may be frozen, airtight, for up to 2 months.

OLD FASHIONED WALNUT BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350*.
• Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into large bowl.
• Add egg, shortning, milk and vanilla.
• Stir until all is moistened.
• Stir in the walnuts.
• Bake in a 9x5 loaf pan for 1 hour, 20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

FRUIT & NUT BREAD

Steps:

• Turn bread dough onto a floured surface; roll out to 1-in. thickness. Sprinkle the walnuts, raisins, cranberries and dates over dough; fold over and knead well until the fruit and nuts are evenly mixed into dough. Shape into a round loaf and place in a greased 9-in. round baking pan., Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Beat egg white and honey; brush over loaf. With a sharp knife, make 2 shallow crosses across top of loaf. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack.

WALNUT BREAD

Steps:

• Toast walnuts in an oven or under the broiler. Set aside to cool.
• Place yeast in a large mixing bowl. Mix salt into 2 cups (473 milliliters) lukewarm water. Stir into yeast. Stir in maple syrup and 2 tablespoons oil.
• Measure 1 cup of the toasted walnuts, place in a food processor with 2 tablespoons of the whole-wheat flour and process until finely ground. Add to bowl along with remaining whole-wheat flour. Stir with a wooden spoon.
• Add bread flour 1/2 cup at a time until dough forms and leaves the sides of the bowl. (At this point you're better off mixing with your hands.) Turn dough out onto a floured work surface. Continue adding bread flour, kneading as you go, until you have a dough that's a bit on the soft side, only slightly sticky and easy to handle.
• Clean out your bowl, coat it with 1 tablespoon oil, and place dough back into the bowl, turning it so it's oiled all over. Cover with a cloth and set aside to rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch the dough down, add remaining toasted walnuts and lightly knead them into the dough. Dust a spacious baking sheet with cornmeal. Divide the dough in half, shape into 2 balls and place on the baking sheet. Cover loosely and let rise for an hour.
• Place the oven rack in the lowest position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Slash the tops of the breads with a razor or a lame (a baker's blade). Do not be tentative about this step; your slashes should be a good half-inch deep, done with a firm, even hand.
• Place the baking sheet in the oven. Throw a handful of ice cubes on the floor of the oven to create steam. Bake 20 minutes. By this time the breads should be a nice honey-brown. Brush them with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, reduce heat to 350 degrees, add more ice cubes and bake about 25 minutes longer, until the breads are well browned and sound hollow when tapped. Allow to cool at least 1 hour before cutting.

NIKKI'S CINNAMON WALNUT BREAD

Steps:

• Place bread flour, 3/4 cup milk, 1/4 cup unsalted butter, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, yeast, and salt into the pan of your bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select the Dough cycle and press Start. When the cycle is complete, remove the dough, punch down, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Preheat an oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Spread the walnuts onto a baking sheet, and toast until the nuts start to turn golden brown and become fragrant, about 45 minutes. Watch the nuts carefully as they bake, they burn quickly. Once toasted, set the nuts aside to cool to room temperature.
• Stir walnuts, brown sugar, 3 tablespoons white sugar, and 1 tablespoon cinnamon together in a bowl. Add 4 teaspoons milk and 1 tablespoon butter; mix well.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 15x12-inch rectangle. Cut into three 15x4-inch strips. Spread 1/3 the walnut mixture down the center of each strip. Moisten and roll the long edges of each strip together over the filling, and pinch to seal each rope.
• Line up the 3 ropes 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. To ensure an even braid, start braiding in the middle. Bring the left rope under the center rope, pass the right rope under the new center rope, and repeat braiding to the end. Starting in the middle again, pass the outside ropes over the center rope, repeating to the end. Press rope ends together and tuck in on each side. Cover loaf with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Beat water and egg together in a small bowl. Stir 2 tablespoons white sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon together in a separate bowl. Brush loaf with egg mixture and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
• Bake in preheated oven until the top is golden brown and the bottom of loaf sounds hollow when tapped, 20 to 25 minutes.

DUTCH-OVEN RAISIN WALNUT BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk 6 cups flour, sugar, yeast, cinnamon and salt. Stir in raisins and walnuts; add water and enough remaining flour to form a moist, shaggy dough. Do not knead. Cover and let rise in a cool place until doubled, 7-8 hours., Preheat oven to 450°; place a Dutch oven with lid onto center rack and heat for at least 30 minutes. Once Dutch oven is heated, turn dough onto a generously floured surface. Using a metal scraper or spatula, quickly shape into a round loaf. Gently place on top of a piece of parchment., Using a sharp knife, make a slash (1/4 in. deep) across top of loaf. Using the parchment, immediately lower bread into heated Dutch oven. Cover; bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until loaf is deep golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped, 20-30 minutes longer, partially covering if browning too much. Remove loaf from pan and cool completely on wire rack.