May 27, 2008
My Very Own Walnut Bread (Alicia Ross with Beverly Mills, 5/27/08, Dallas Morning News)
2 teaspoons active dry yeast (see note)Posted by Orrin Judd at May 27, 2008 8:13 PM
3 cups bread flour
1 ¼ cups plus 1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (see note)
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup coarsely chopped, toasted walnuts (see note)
Cooking oil spray
Extra flour, for forming the loavesPlace first seven ingredients into bread machine in the order listed. Choose dough setting (or the setting that mixes but does not bake the bread). Turn on machine.
Coat a loaf pan or baking sheet with cooking oil spray, and set aside. When dough cycle ends, sprinkle a little flour onto a clean counter or large cutting board. Punch dough a few times with your fist to let the air escape, and remove dough from machine and place on floured surface. Turn dough to coat lightly with flour. Pull and stretch dough into an oblong loaf shape. Cut oblong dough in half, and tap the cut ends in flour. Pull each half into an oblong, baguette shape (or form into two round loaves). Let loaves rise, uncovered, at room temperature for 30 to 50 minutes, or until they reach desired size. (The time will depend on the ambient temperature. If your room is chilly, put loaf in a cold oven with just the oven light on.)
Preheat oven to 425 F. Using kitchen scissors, snip three slashes in top of each loaf – about 1 inch deep and 1 ½ inches wide. Place loaves in hot oven, and spray a little water on the sides of oven. (If you don't have a spray bottle, flick it with your fingers.) Bake, uncovered, until bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped, about 25 to 35 minutes. Spray oven with a little water after about 10 minutes if desired. If not eating immediately, remove bread from the pan, preferably to a wire rack, to cool.
Makes 2 loaves, for 6 servings each. (Extra loaves can be frozen, covered with plastic wrap and then with foil, for up to one month.)
oj,
There are sandwich breads, this isn't one, and their are "quick" breads, this isn't one.
Why go to the bother?
Correction, I meant "there" not "their".
Speaking of the superior quickbread:
Cranberry-Pecan Quick Bread
Makes 1 loaf
* 2 cups (10 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
* 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick; 3 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
* 2/3 cup (6 ounces) buttermilk (see note)
* Finely grated zest and juice of 1 large navel orange
* 1 extra-large egg
* 2/3 cup (5.34 ounces) granulated sugar
* 1 cup (4 ounces) fresh or frozen whole cranberries, coarsely chopped
* 3/4 cup (3 ounces) pecans, toasted (see note) and coarsely chopped
Preheat the oven to 350°F with the rack in the center position. Butter an 8 1/2-by-4-by-2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Dust with flour and shake the pan to coat the inside. Knock out the excess. Set aside.
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cloves, and cardamom into a medium mixing bowl. Set aside. Combine the melted butter, buttermilk, and orange zest and juice in a small bowl. Set aside.
Use a whisk or a handheld or stand mixer on high speed to beat together the egg and sugar in a large mixing bowl until they are thick and light yellow in color. Whisk in or beat in on low speed the melted butter mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula several times during the mixing. Stir or mix in the flour mixture and finally the cranberries and nuts just to combine. Pour and scrape the batter into the prepared pan, and smooth the top with the rubber spatula.
Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn the loaf out onto the rack. Set it right side up to cool completely before slicing.
The baked and cooled loaf can be stored at room temperature, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 2 days, or refrigerated for up to 1 week. It may also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Note: Powdered buttermilk, found in the baking section of most supermarkets, eliminates the need to keep fresh buttermilk in the refrigerator. Simply add to your recipe with the dry ingredients the amount of powder specified on the package, then substitute water for the buttermilk called for in the recipe. Store the powdered buttermilk in the refrigerator for up to 1 year.
Note: To toast pecans, preheat the oven to 350°F with the rack in the center position. Place the nuts on a heavy-duty, rimmed baking sheet in a single layer and bake, stirring occasionally, until they are golden brown and fragrant, 10 to 12 minutes.