Walnut Bread

Name: Walnut Bread
Ingredients: 500 g whole-wheat flour; 500 g cake flour; 15 g instant yeast; 45 ml (3 tablespoons) sugar; 15 ml (3 teaspoons) salt; 400 g walnuts; 100 g dried apricots, finely chopped; 100 g butter; 625 ml (2 ½ cups) tepid water

This is a rather expensive, but truly magnificent bread to serve with cheese and preserves. It freezes very well.

Published 26 January 2024

Method

Preheat oven to 180 ºC (350 ºF). Grease a large baking sheet.
Combine the whole-wheat flour, cake flour, instant yeast, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Grind 200 g walnuts to a fine powder and chop the remaining 200 g coarsely. Add walnuts and dried apricots to the flour mixture.
Melt the butter and add the tepid water.
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour half the water into the well. Bring the flour from the inside of the well until the flour and water has a porridge-like consistency. Add the remaining water and bring in the rest of the flour making the mixture less stodgy. Flour your hands and work the mixture until you have a silky and elastic dough. You might have to adjust the amount of water, because some flours need a little more or less water.
Lightly butter the top of the dough. Place in a clean mixing bowl and cover with plastic cling wrap. Allow to prove in a warm place until double in size. Knock back the dough and prove for a second time until double in size.
Divide the dough in 2 and roll into oblong-shaped pieces. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Allow to prove until double in size. Bake for 30 minutes until lightly golden. Allow to cool for 30 minutes before serving.