I might have mentioned a time or 20 that I have had a bad cough the last couple of weeks. Well, 15 days on and it still hasn't completely left me. It would seem it has grown rather fond of me and is reluctant to end our relationship just yet. I, on the other hand, have had more than enough and Mr Cough and all your little sniffly nose, achy ear, sore head chums, it is OVER. I'm kicking you to the kerb. Dumping you. Have you got the picture?
In an attempt to kill off any last lingering carresses on your part I am sending in the big guns. Vitamins and minerals shall be coarsing through my system this week, appetite or no appetite, through the medium of large steaming bowls of homemade vegetable soup. Now it would be rude to eat a big bowl of scrummilicious soup without a little soakage, as it were, to compliment it. For this reason I have decided the only thing up to this job has got to be a couple of deliciously fresh slices of homemade walnut bread.
*Please read on after the recipe for some notes and observations I made. The recipe is adapted from a Jamie Oliver one and it is obvious he has minions to run around after him cleaning up his mess, so for a cleaner baking experience and a saner you I have made some amendments after the original recipe.
Walnut Bread
500g Wholemeal Flour
500g Strong White Flour
625ml Tepid Water
30g Fresh Yeast or 3 x 7g Sachets Dried Yeast
2tbsp Sugar
2 level tsp Sea Salt
455g Walnuts Peeled (crush half until coarse and the remaining half to a fine powder)
115g Butter (at room temperature)
1. Pile both types of flour on to a clean surface and make a large well in the centre. Pour half of the water into the well, then add your yeast, sugar and salt and stir well with a fork.
2. Slowly, but carefully, bring in the flour from the inside of the well (be careful not to break the walls of the well so as not to allow the water to escape).
3. Continue to incorporate the flour into the centre until you get a stodgy, porridgey consistency.
4. Add the remaining water and continue to mix until it is stodgy again, be a little more aggressive with it at this stage incorporating all of the flour, making the mixture less sticky.
5. Add in the walnuts and butter at this stage and mix well to incorporate.
6. Flour your hands and pat and push the dough together (if more water is needed at this time add a little to adjust)
7. Knead the dough for 4-5 minutes until you have a silky, elastic dough.
8. Flour the top of the dough, place it in a bowl, cover in cling film and allow it to prove for half an hour until it has doubled in size (ideally allow it to prove in a warm, moist, draught free place).
9. Once the dough has doubled in size knock the air out of it by giving it a bit of a bashing. At this stage shape it as required be it into a round, a loaf or smaller individual servings. Leave it to prove a second time for 30 minutes.
10. While the bread is proving for the second time flour a baking sheet and preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4.
11. Once the dough has doubled in size dust the top with some flour and gently transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Place in the preheated oven and bake for approx 30 mins until lightly golden (to check that it is cooked tap the bottom, if it sounds hollow it is cooked, if it doesn't pop it back in the oven for a further 5 minutes and check again).
12. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool for 30 mins before getting stuck in.
*Above is the recipe and instructions that I followed, but I have to be honest, it was very messy and I got a bit stressed with flour and water going in all directions and then trying to incorporate the walnuts. The next time I make this bread (and I will make it again because it is completely yum) I will probably do it as outlined below.*
1. In a very large bowl (use the biggest bowl you have as there is a lot of flour) add both types of flour and the walnuts. Give them a quick stir to mix them all together.
2. Make a well in the centre and pour in half of the water.
3. Add the yeast, sugar and salt to the water and give a little mix to combine.
4. Slowly start to bring in flour from the inside of the well until you get a stodgy, porridgey consistency.
5. Make another little well and add the remaining water and continue to bring the remaining dry mix in until you again reach a stodgy, porridgey consistency.
6. Cut the butter into rough 1cm cubes and dot all over the mixture and then mix thoroughly to incorporate throughout the mixture (make sure your butter is quite soft to make this easier, mine had been out of the fridge for over an hour. Also I mixed everything by hand so that I could really attack it and give it a good mix).
7. Place the mixture on to a clean work surface and knead for 4-5 minutes until you have a silky, elastic dough.
8. Flour the top of the dough, place it in a bowl, cover in cling film and allow it to prove for half an hour until it has doubled in size (ideally allow it to prove in a warm, moist, draught free place. I popped mine into the hot press).
9. Once the dough has doubled in size knock the air out of it by giving it a bit of a bashing. At this stage shape it as required, be it into a round, a loaf or smaller individual servings and place onto a floured baking sheet. Leave it to prove a second time for 30 minutes. (this recipe yields a monster loaf so if it just for 1 or 2 people I would advise dividing in 2 before baking and freezing one loaf for later use)
10. While the bread is proving for the second time flour preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4.
11. Once the dough has doubled in size dust the top with some flour and place in the preheated oven and bake for approx 30 mins until lightly golden (to check that it is cooked tap the bottom, if it sounds hollow it is cooked, if it doesn't pop it back in the oven for a further 5 minutes and check again).
12. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool for 30 mins before getting stuck in.
