Walnut Honey Bread
Submitted by 123fut
Crusty artisan bread studded with toasted walnuts, sweetened with honey and enriched with walnut oil. An overnight cold-rise dough baked on a stone with steam for a shattering crust.
YIELD
2 loavesPREP
40 minCOOK
35 minREADY
75 minThis is bread baking at its most rewarding. The kind of loaf that fills the house with the smell of toasted walnuts and warm honey while the crust crackles as it cools on the rack.
A sponge starter builds deep, complex flavor. The overnight cold rise in the fridge develops even more character while fitting neatly into a busy schedule.
Walnut oil in the dough amplifies the nutty flavor from the inside out, and honey rounds out the sweetness without making it a dessert bread. The steam from boiling water in the oven gives you that bakery-quality crust with the crackly, golden shell.
Chef Tips
- Toast the walnuts until they’re deeply fragrant and golden. Under-toasted nuts fade into the background once baked.
- Maple syrup swaps beautifully for the honey if you want a more earthy sweetness.
- The boiling water in the pan creates steam that’s essential for crust development. Be careful when pouring and work quickly.
- Tap the bottom of the finished loaf. A hollow sound means it’s done. A dull thud means give it a few more minutes.
- Let the bread cool completely before slicing. Cutting too soon compresses the crumb.
Ingredients
Directions
Try using maple syrup instead of honey.
Can use olive oil instead of walnut.
Preheat the oven to 400℉ (200℃).
Place the walnuts on a baking sheet, roasting until fragrant and golden brown, about eight minutes.
Cool.
In a bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water.
Allow to proof for three minutes.
Stir the sponge, honey and oil into the water, breaking the sponge up using your hands or a spoon.
Add 2 ¾ cups of the flour and salt and mix, scraping and folding until the dough gathers into a single mass.
Knead, in the bowl, until the dough becomes soft and only slightly sticky, using the additional flour gradually as necessary.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead the nuts into the dough until they are evenly distributed.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Halve the dough and shape each piece into a ball and place on a flour-dusted kitchen towel.
Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a draft-free location for two hours.
Sprinkle a baking sheet generously with cornmeal.
Gently press one of the dough balls down on a lightly floured surface and then reshape into a ball.
Do the same with the other risen ball.
Place both balls, with the seams on the bottom, on the baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled, in a draft-free location.
This should take 2 to 3 hours.
Preheat the oven for at least thirty minutes along with a baking stone or tiles on the middle rack to 425℉ (220℃).
Place a baking pan with decent sides on the bottom shelf.
Boil two cups of water.
Using a razor blade, make an ‘X’ in the top of each of the loaves.
Pour the boiling water into the baking pan.
With a quick jerk, slide the loaves off the sheet and onto the stone.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the loaves are hollow sounding when tapped on the bottom.
When done, cool on a rack.
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