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Cranberry-Walnut Bread

This rustic autumn bread is filled with dried cranberries and toasted walnuts. Adding steam while it bakes gives an open interior crumb and a crispier crust.
Cranberry-Walnut Bread
Yield 1 (13-inch) loaf

Ingredients

Dough

  • 4 3/4 cups (603g) bread flour, plus more for dusting
  • 4 teaspoons (12g) kosher salt (see note)
  • 1 (0.25-ounce) package (7g) or 2 ¼ teaspoons Platinum Yeast
  • 1 cup (128g) unsweetened dried cranberries
  • 1 cup (113g) chopped toasted walnuts
  • 2 cups (480g) warm water (105°F/41°C to 110°F/43°C)
  • 2 tablespoons (42g) honey
  • Semolina flour, for dusting

Steam bath

  • 4 cups (960g) boiling water

Instructions

  • Make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together bread flour, salt, and yeast by hand; stir in cranberries and walnuts. Add warm water and honey; using the paddle attachment, beat at low speed until a sticky dough forms, about 30 seconds.
  • Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Place dough in bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let stand in a warm, draft-free place (75°F/24°C) until doubled in size, about 1½ to 2 hours. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
  • Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; dust parchment with semolina flour.
  • Shape loaf: Heavily dust a work surface with bread flour; turn out dough. Using floured hands, lightly press dough into a 15x10-inch rectangle. Starting with one short side, roll up dough into a log, pressing edges to seal. Place log, seam side down, on prepared pan. Sprinkle top of dough with semolina flour. Loosely cover dough with a greased sheet of plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°F/24°C) until puffed, about 1 to 1½ hours.
  • Position oven racks in bottom and center of oven. Preheat oven to 500°F (260°C).
  • Score top of dough as desired. Place baking sheet with loaf on the center oven rack. Carefully place 4 cups (960 grams) boiling water in a baking pan (do not use glass) on bottom oven rack.
  • Bake loaf: Immediately reduce oven temperature to 425°F (220°C). Bake for 20 minutes. Loosely cover with foil to prevent excess browning and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted in center of loaf registers 200°F (93°C), 20 to 25 minutes more. Remove from pan and let cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Notes

Salt weight and volume vary by brand. Diamond Crystal kosher salt was used in this recipe (1 tablespoon is 9 grams). If you a have different brand or type of salt, use the weight listed in the recipe, not the volume measurement. If you do not have a scale, check your brand’s website for what the equivalent volume measurement is for the weight listed in this recipe.
 
Recipe by Bake From Scratch.