Walnut Bread

I'm a big fan of classic breads. As interesting as some experimental breads can be, nothing really beats the mainstays. This is especially true for the wonderful walnut bread - packed full of flavour and texture, this loaf is a champion of breads. There's nothing particularly spectacular about this recipe, but the result is quite the contrary - especially with cheese. Make this for a perfect accompaniment to a baked camembert or for delicious toast in the morning.

Ingredients

• 150g of strong wholemeal bread flour
  
• 150g of strong white bread flour
• 1 x 7g packet of fast action yeast
• a large handful of walnuts (in pieces or whole, depends how much walnut you enjoy in your mouth at one time). 
• 1 x teaspoon of light brown sugar
• 1 x teaspoon salt
• 1 x teaspoon of walnut oil 
• 200ml of warm water

Method

1. This is a really simple recipe. In a large bowl, mix together both flours, the yeast and salt. In a measuring jug, whisk together the water, sugar and oil and then, you guessed it, add the wet mixture to the dry and stir thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Get in there with your hands after a while, making sure every bit of loose flour has been picked up. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes, or until well combined. 
2. Once kneaded, get out a rolling pin and roll the dough out into a rough rectangle, about 30 cm lengthways. Take your walnuts and sprinkle evenly all over the flattened dough, and then roll it up like a roly poly. Knead the dough for a further 2-3 minutes and shape into an oval once you're sure the walnuts are evenly distributed throughout. 
3. Line a relatively large baking tray with greaseproof paper and pop your shaped dough in the middle of your tray. Cover with cling film and leave to rise for about an hour, or until it has doubled in size. 
4. Whilst the dough rises, preheat your oven to 200C (no fan). Once the dough is ready, pop it in the middle of the oven and allow to bake for 35-40 minutes. Once baked, allow to cool on a cooling rack for 45 minutes. 
5. Dig in with a baked camembert at the ready! 

The walnuts should have softened slightly in the oven and some, if you had any poking out on the surface of the loaf, should have an amazingly intense, slightly burnt flavour. Once you take it out the oven the smell will be unbelievable. Nut breads do have a tendency to be a bit bitter, however the sugar should help balance that out. As I said, this bread goes absolutely perfectly with a relatively flavourful cheese, or simply toasted with a generous smear of butter. As boring as it may seem, walnut bread is so hard to beat - and you'll be agreeing with me once you give my recipe a go!