Ingredients
500g strong white bread flour
40g soft butter
12g/2 sachets fast-action dried yeast
2 tsp salt
300ml luke warm water
150g walnuts, chopped
A drizzle of olive oil
Method
In a large mixing bowl mix the flour and the butter.
On one side of the bowl add the salt and the other side the yeast and stir all the ingredients with a wooden spoon.
Gradually add water to the mixture and combine with your fingers tips.
Keep adding water until all the ingredients are combined and have formed a rough ball shape– you’re looking for dough which is soft but not sticky.
Drizzle oil on to a clean work surface and work the dough by kneading, keep kneading until the dough is smooth and sticky.
TIP: If the dough gets too sticky you can add a little flour to your hands.
Place your dough back in to the mixing bowl and cover with a damp tea towel and set aside to proof for around one hour.
Once the dough has doubled in size (note: the texture should be bouncy and shiny) scrap the dough out of the bowl.
On a lightly floured surface shape the dough in to a rectangle shape and at this point scatter the chopped walnuts over the dough.
Knead the dough once more to distribute the walnuts evenly and to knock any air out.
Gently smooth the dough in to a loaf shape.
Place the dough in to your loaf tin and cover with a tea towel and leave to proof once again, for around one hour.
Preheat the oven to 220C (200C fan assisted)/425F/Gas 7.
Use a large, sharp knife to make shallow cuts (about 1cm/½in deep) across the top of the loaf to create a pattern.
Put the loaf into the middle of the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
The loaf is cooked when it’s risen and golden. To check, take it out of the oven and tap it gently underneath – it should sound hollow.
Turn onto a wire rack to cool.
Products Used
NATURAL ELEMENTS MEDIUM STONEWARE SERVING BOWL
KITCHEN CRAFT BEECH WOOD 45CM SPOON
COLOURWORKS 3 PIECE BLUE ACRYLIC MEASURING JUG SET
KITCHEN CRAFT DISPLAY OF 36 DOUGH CUTTERS AND SCRAPERS
MASTER CLASS CRUSTY BAKE 2LB NON-STICK LOAF PAN
MASTER CLASS 15CM CERAMIC CHEFS KNIFE