Raisin Walnut Bread

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large mixing bowl
• •Wooden spoon
• •9x5 inch loaf pan or baking sheet
• •Wire cooling rack
• •Sharp knife or lame for scoring
• •Instant-read thermometer

Instructions

1. 1

   Toast the walnuts

   Spread the walnut halves on a dry baking sheet and toast in a 350°F oven for eight to ten minutes, stirring once halfway through. You will smell them before you see the color change. They should be fragrant and just beginning to deepen. Rough chop them while still warm, then set aside to cool completely.

   Toasting transforms walnuts from bitter to sweet and earthy. Do not skip this step.
2. 2

   Plump the raisins

   Place raisins in a small bowl and cover with warm water. Let them sit for fifteen minutes while you prepare the dough. Plump raisins stay moist during baking rather than turning to hard pebbles. Drain well and pat dry before using.

3. 3

   Mix the dough

   In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and yeast. Add the honey, softened butter, and warm water. Stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms and no dry flour remains. The dough will look rough and uneven. That is fine.

4. 4

   Knead until smooth

   Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for eight to ten minutes, pushing with the heel of your hand, folding, and turning. The dough will transform from sticky and rough to smooth and elastic. When you poke it, it should spring back slowly. This is the gluten developing, building the structure that will hold those raisins and walnuts in place.

   Resist adding too much flour. A slightly tacky dough produces a more tender crumb than a stiff one.
5. 5

   Add raisins and walnuts

   Flatten the dough into a rough rectangle. Scatter the drained raisins and toasted walnuts over the surface. Fold the dough over itself and knead gently for another two minutes to distribute the additions evenly. Some will poke through the surface. Let them.

6. 6

   First rise

   Shape the dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about one and a half to two hours. The dough is ready when you press two fingers into it and the indentations remain.

   Bread cannot be rushed. If your kitchen is cool, the rise may take longer. Let the dough tell you when it is ready.
7. 7

   Shape the loaf

   Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and press gently to deflate. Shape into a tight oval by folding the sides toward the center, then rolling the dough away from you to create surface tension. The seam goes on the bottom. Place seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet or in a lightly greased 9x5 inch loaf pan.

8. 8

   Second rise

   Cover loosely with the towel and let rise again until the dough has expanded by about fifty percent, forty-five minutes to one hour. It should look puffy and feel pillowy when you touch it gently. While the dough rises, preheat your oven to 375°F.

9. 9

   Score and bake

   Using a sharp knife or razor blade, slash the top of the loaf with one long cut down the center, about half an inch deep. This controls where the bread expands. Bake for forty to forty-five minutes until deeply golden brown. The loaf should sound hollow when you tap the bottom, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 190°F.

10. 10

    Cool completely

    Transfer the loaf to a wire rack and let it cool for at least one hour before slicing. This is perhaps the hardest part. The bread is still cooking inside, the crumb setting. Cut too soon and you will have a gummy center. Listen to the crust crackle as it cools. That sound is the bread finishing its work.

Chef Tips

• •Source the best flour you can find. Stone-ground flour from a regional mill has more flavor and character than commodity flour. Ask at your farmers market.
• •Toast walnuts until you smell them. Raw walnuts have a bitter edge that disappears entirely with gentle heat.
• •If your raisins are already soft and plump, skip the soaking step. Taste one first to check.
• •This bread keeps well wrapped in cloth for three days. After that, slice and toast it. Stale slices make exceptional French toast.
• •For a more rustic loaf with a crackling crust, bake it free-form on a baking stone with a pan of water in the oven for steam.

Advance Preparation

• •The dough can be made through the first rise, then refrigerated overnight. The slow, cold fermentation develops more complex flavor. Let it come to room temperature before shaping, about one hour.
• •Baked loaves freeze beautifully for up to two months. Wrap tightly in plastic, then foil. Thaw at room temperature and refresh in a 350°F oven for ten minutes.
• •Slice the entire loaf, separate slices with parchment, and freeze for quick morning toast straight from the freezer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 83g)