Unyeasted Fruit & Nut Bread

This unyeasted fruit and nut bread is a throwback to the granola-cookbook era of the 1970s, when bakers leaned on the wild yeasts naturally living on flour to leaven their loaves. No commercial yeast, no sourdough starter, just flour, water, salt, and a long overnight proof on the counter.

The three-flour blend is doing the work here. Whole wheat flour provides the gluten structure, rye adds tang and helps the wild yeasts wake up, and roasted barley flour brings a nutty, almost toasted-grain depth.

Don’t expect a high-rising sandwich loaf. This is a dense, sliceable brick of fiber and fruit, the kind that toasts up beautifully and holds court next to a wedge of sharp cheese or a smear of honey-butter.

Pro Tips

• Use warm water, not hot. Hot water above 110°F (43°C) kills the wild yeasts that live on the flour and you’ll end up with a flat brick.
• Soak the dried apricots in warm water for 10 minutes before chopping. They plump up and won’t steal moisture from the dough.
• The overnight proof is the whole point of the recipe. Skipping or shortening it gives you a dense, undeveloped loaf with raw-flour flavor.
• Slit the top deeply (at least ½ inch) before baking. Without a vent, the dense dough cracks unevenly down the side as steam escapes.

Variations

• Swap raisins for dried cranberries and add a tablespoon of orange zest for a brighter winter loaf.
• Use walnuts and pumpkin seeds in place of generic nuts and sunflower seeds.
• Add 2 tablespoons of molasses to the water for a deeper, almost pumpernickel-style sweetness.