Our walnut tree had a great harvest this year. During lockdown, I would go out in the morning and collect all the nuts on the ground. Shuffling between the fallen leaves, we had to repeat this process a couple of times a day. We still have 2 buckets full of walnuts and there absolutely nothing wrong with that. Next to walnut butter, roasted walnuts and walnut cake, they can be an excellent substitute for any nuts in your breads. This recipe is for the sweet and savoury tooth – the bread works great with cheese or honey.
If you don’t have walnut oil, no stress – a normal flavourless oil such as sunflower, canola or grapeseed can also be used.
Ingredients
- 400 grams plain flour
- 100 grams rye flour
- 320 grams water, 20-25 °C
- 7 grams dried yeast
- 45 grams walnut oil
- 10 grams salt
- 180 grams roasted and rough chopped walnuts
- 25 grams of cheese (can increase to 50 grams)
Instructions
Mix all ingredients in a bowl except for the walnuts, cheese and salt.
Knead it to a rough dough and leave it covered for 20-30 mixture so the flowers can absorb the water.
Add the salt and knead
By hand: ± 20 minutes
Standmixer: ± 10-15 minutes
First Proof
Shape a ball out of the dough and leave it in a lightly greased bowl, covered with (greased) cling foil on room temperature for about ±1 hour.
The proof has finished when you press lightly the dough with a (wet) finger and the imprint stays visible.
Filling
Place the dough onto a lightly greased surface and roll it out with a rolling pin to a rectangle. Divide the walnuts and cheese and fold the dough. Knead it till well divided but don’t over knead it. ± 2 minutes will do.
Second Proof
Shape the dough again to a ball and proof the dough for another ± 1 hour on room temperature, covered with clingfoil or a plastic bag. The dough is done when it has doubled in volume.
Shape
Transfer your dough onto a lined baking tray and shape a boule out of it. Follow the instructions here.
You can also proof your dough in a banneton or sieve, covered with a flour dusted tea-towel.
You could also shape this into a basic loaf .
Third Proof
Proof the dough for a further ± 45 minutes till it has doubled in size. The proof is done when you press it with lightly with a (wet) finger and it slowly bounces back.
Preheat your oven 30-15 minutes prior baking on 220/200 (conventional/fan-forced. Add the baking tray and a deep baking dish during the preheating process.
Bake
Boil 1.5 dl of water whilst you transfer your bread onto the lined, hot baking tray. Add the boiling water to the deep baking dish and close the oven immediately to trap the stream.
Bake for ± 20 minutes. Remove the baking paper and lower the temperature with 20 degrees. Bake for a further 20 minutes.
If you’re baking a basic loaf, leave the bread in the tin and don’t remove the baking paper.
Transfer the bread straight onto a cooling rack when done. Wait till it’s completely cooled down before slicing.