WALNUT-FIG BREAD
A hearty bread is your reward for flexing your muscles as you knead this dense dough.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Breakfast & Brunch Recipes Bread Recipes
Time 3h15m
Yield Makes 1 loaf
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Stir warm water, sugar, and yeast in a small bowl until yeast is dissolved. Let mixture stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Brush a large bowl with oil and set aside.
- Place flours, 1 cup dried figs, fennel seeds, and salt in another bowl. Add yeast mixture; bring mixture together with your hands. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer dough to oiled bowl, and cover loosely with a piece of lightly oiled plastic wrap. Let dough rise in a warm place until almost doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead in walnuts and remaining 1 cup dried figs (be aggressive with the dough to work in nuts and figs). Shape dough into a ball; pull seams in toward bottom to stretch and smooth top.
- Brush a baking sheet with oil; place dough in the middle. Loosely cover with a piece of lightly oiled plastic wrap. Let dough rise in a warm place until almost doubled in bulk, about 40 minutes.
- Bake until bread is light golden brown, about 30 minutes. Loosely tent with foil, and continue to bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the bottom of loaf registers 180 degrees and comes out clean, about 30 minutes more. Immediately transfer loaf to a wire rack; let cool completely before slicing.
FIG-WALNUT BREAD
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Coat two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans with butter; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and salt; set mixture aside.
- Bring 1 cup water to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat, and add 1 1/2 cups dried figs; let stand until softened, about 10 minutes. Transfer figs and liquid to a food processor. Purée until smooth, about 1 minute; set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix to combine, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the flour mixture, and beat until combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sour cream and reserved fig purée; beat until just incorporated, about 1 minute. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the remaining chopped figs and the walnuts.
- Divide the batter between the prepared pans; smooth the tops with an offset spatula. Place pans on a baking sheet. Bake, rotating the sheet halfway through, until deep golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the centers comes out clean, about 1 hour. Transfer the pans to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes. Remove loaves from pans and cool completely. Bread can be kept at room temperature, wrapped well in plastic, for up to 4 days.
Tips:
- Mise en place: Before you start baking, make sure you have all your ingredients and equipment ready. This will help you stay organized and prevent any scrambling.
- Use fresh ingredients: The fresher your ingredients, the better your bread will taste. If possible, use organic ingredients for the best flavor.
- Don't overmix the dough: Overmixing the dough will make the bread tough. Mix it just until the ingredients are combined.
- Let the dough rise in a warm place: The dough needs to rise in a warm place in order to activate the yeast. A warm oven or a sunny spot on the counter are good options.
- Bake the bread until it is golden brown: The bread is done baking when it is golden brown and sounds hollow when you tap it.
Conclusion:
This maple walnut and fig bread is a delicious and easy-to-make bread that is perfect for any occasion. It is moist and flavorful, with a hint of sweetness from the maple syrup and figs. The walnuts add a nice crunch and texture to the bread. This bread is sure to be a hit with your family and friends.
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