The whole wheat apple and walnut bread is perfect to accompany cured meats, cheeses, and is phenomenal spread with gianduja cream or jams. In short, a perfect accompaniment, typical of Northern European countries where breads are often enriched with oily seeds or dried fruits. During my last trip to Belgium, for example, I found many varieties of dark or whole wheat bread with raisins, walnuts, or apples at breakfast; so I tried to recreate it at home.
Since I like making bread at home, seeing how water, flour, and yeast transform into a special product, this time I used my sourdough starter to bake the whole wheat apple and walnut bread.
OTHER INTERESTING RECIPES:
walnut bread
No-knead bread baked in a pot
cereal bread
Thousand-hole bread
Whole grain bread with seeds and sourdough
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 12 Hours
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 342.35 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 63.24 (g) of which sugars 7.66 (g)
- Proteins 10.43 (g)
- Fat 6.14 (g) of which saturated 0.10 (g)of which unsaturated 0.43 (g)
- Fibers 4.29 (g)
- Sodium 761.29 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/3 cup liquid sourdough starter
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup dried apples
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1 1/2 tsp fine salt
Tools
- 1 Stand mixer
- 1 Proofing basket
- 1 Enameled cast iron pot
Steps
– Sift the flours, combine them in the mixer bowl, and pour in the water. Autolyse for at least an hour or more if needed.
– After the time has passed, add the liquid yeast and start the machine. After about ten minutes, add the salt, chopped walnuts, and dried apple slices (cut into coarse pieces).
– Transfer the dough to a lightly floured board and give two stretch and folds at thirty-minute intervals.
– Shape it lightly and place it in a proofing basket covered with a well-floured cloth. Sprinkle the surface with semolina, cover, and refrigerate overnight or for about 12 hours.– In the morning, take the basket out of the fridge and let it finish proofing at room temperature.
– Preheat the oven to 465°F with the cast iron pot or clay pot and lid inside, and
when at temperature, flip the bread onto a parchment paper sheet, make a not-too-deep cut, and transfer it to the pot, covering with the lid.
– Bake for about an hour.
– After the first half-hour, remove the lid, slide out the parchment paper, and reduce the oven temperature to 430°F.
– 15 minutes before the end of baking, bake with a crack (using a ball of foil or the handle of a wooden spoon to keep the door slightly open).
– Cool the bread upright.
Tips:
– To know if the bread is ready to be baked, gently press the edge of the dough; if the imprint disappears, it is time to bake.
– Another method is to observe the basket from the side; if a slight dome protrudes, it is ready
