Simple Rustic Bread With Walnuts Recipes

Steps:

• Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl, set aside. Whisk the eggs and vanilla together in a liquid measuring cup with a spout, set aside. Lightly brush a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan with butter. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with an electric hand-held mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually pour the egg mixture into the butter while mixing until incorporated. Add the bananas (the mixture will appear to be curdled, so don't worry), and remove the bowl from the mixer.
• With a rubber spatula, mix in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Fold in the nuts and transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Turn the bread out of the pan and let cool completely on the rack. Wrap in plastic wrap. The banana bread is best if served the next day.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, sprinkle yeast over 1/2 cup of warm water and let stand for 5 minutes.
• Stir to dissolve yeast.
• Add remaining 1 1/2 cups water, sugar, salt and bread flour.
• Mix at low speed until flour is thoroughly incorporated.
• Note: dough will be sticky, not smooth.
• Place dough in a large oiled bowl and turn to coat all sides with oil.
• Cover loosely with a towel and set in a warm place to rise until double in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch dough down.
• Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface, add walnuts, and knead lightly to eliminate air bubbles.
• Cut dough into 2 pieces.
• With floured hands, shape each piece into a 12-inch log.
• Place logs on a parchment paper lined baking sheet a few inches apart and cover loosely with a towel.
• Let rise for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile place pizza stone on lowest rack in oven.
• When dough begins last rise, preheat oven to 400.
• Pull the parchment paper off the baking sheet and transfer to the pizza stone.
• (Or just bake on the baking sheet if you don't have a pizza stone.) Bake bread for about 40 minutes, or until it sounds hollow when tapped.
• Cool on a rack.

Steps:

• Toast walnuts in an oven or under the broiler. Set aside to cool.
• Place yeast in a large mixing bowl. Mix salt into 2 cups (473 milliliters) lukewarm water. Stir into yeast. Stir in maple syrup and 2 tablespoons oil.
• Measure 1 cup of the toasted walnuts, place in a food processor with 2 tablespoons of the whole-wheat flour and process until finely ground. Add to bowl along with remaining whole-wheat flour. Stir with a wooden spoon.
• Add bread flour 1/2 cup at a time until dough forms and leaves the sides of the bowl. (At this point you're better off mixing with your hands.) Turn dough out onto a floured work surface. Continue adding bread flour, kneading as you go, until you have a dough that's a bit on the soft side, only slightly sticky and easy to handle.
• Clean out your bowl, coat it with 1 tablespoon oil, and place dough back into the bowl, turning it so it's oiled all over. Cover with a cloth and set aside to rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch the dough down, add remaining toasted walnuts and lightly knead them into the dough. Dust a spacious baking sheet with cornmeal. Divide the dough in half, shape into 2 balls and place on the baking sheet. Cover loosely and let rise for an hour.
• Place the oven rack in the lowest position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Slash the tops of the breads with a razor or a lame (a baker's blade). Do not be tentative about this step; your slashes should be a good half-inch deep, done with a firm, even hand.
• Place the baking sheet in the oven. Throw a handful of ice cubes on the floor of the oven to create steam. Bake 20 minutes. By this time the breads should be a nice honey-brown. Brush them with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, reduce heat to 350 degrees, add more ice cubes and bake about 25 minutes longer, until the breads are well browned and sound hollow when tapped. Allow to cool at least 1 hour before cutting.