Walnut Mead Recipes

WALNUT QUICK BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F - Spray two mini loaf pans or one 8x4 loaf pan.
• Combine dry ingredients (except optional 1/4 cup nuts) in a med size bowl; set aside.
• Crack the egg into a measuring cup and stir to break yolk.
• Add milk up to the 3/4 cup mark; then add vanilla and oil.
• Make a well in the flour mixture and pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
• Mix until combined. Don't over mix. If batter is very stiff add an additional tbsp milk.
• Transfer batter to prepared pan(s).
• Sprinkle on optional 1/4 cup chopped nuts and lightly press down so they adhere.
• Bake for 38 minutes or until tested done.
• Cool on a rack for 1/2 hour. While still warm, wrap well and let set overnight for best texture. Can be frozen.
• Variations: Pecans/rum extract; Coconut/vanilla or coconut extract; Almonds/almond extract.

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.

MAPLE WALNUT ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Pour cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer over the bowl. Whisk egg yolks together in a separate bowl.
• Heat milk, sugar, and corn syrup together in a saucepan over medium-low heat until milk begins to steam, about 5 minutes. Slowly pour about 1/2 cup heated milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Scrape egg yolk mixture into the saucepan with a heatproof spatula.
• Cook and stir milk mixture constantly with the spatula, scraping the bottom of the saucepan often, until mixture thickens and coats the spatula, about 10 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat; pour mixture through the mesh strainer into the cream.
• Stir 3/4 cup maple syrup, coarse salt, and vanilla into cream mixture, then place the bowl over a larger bowl of ice water; stir to cool to room temperature. Chill mixture in the refrigerator, about 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Spread walnuts onto a baking sheet.
• Toast walnuts in the preheated oven until they turn golden brown and become fragrant, about 15 minutes. Set nuts aside to cool to room temperature. Chop nuts coarsely.
• Heat the 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon maple syrup in a saucepan until it comes to a boil. Stir in walnuts, and return to a boil. Stir nuts for 10 seconds, remove from heat; set aside to cool completely. The nuts will be wet and sticky when cooled.
• Remove cream mixture from the refrigerator, pour into your ice cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. During the last few minutes of churning, stir in wet walnuts.

QUICK WALNUT BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Move the rack to the center of the oven. Butter or oil a loaf pan. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Whisk in the buttermilk or yogurt and the oils. Quickly whisk in the flour, and fold in the walnuts. Scrape into the bread pan.
• Bake 50 minutes to one hour, until nicely browned and a tester comes out clean. Remove from the heat, allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Then reverse onto a rack and allow to cool.