Walnut Cranberry Braid Food

CRANBERRY WALNUT BREAD

Steps:

• Combine *WARM WATER and YEAST in mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl.* Active Dry Yeast needs 100°F - 110°F water temperature. Combine and allow 5 minute rest until yeast activates.* Quick Rise Instant Yeast needs 120°F - 130°F water temperature. Combine and proceed to step 2.
• Add SUGAR, SALT, OLIVE OIL, FLOUR, CRANBERRIES, and WALNUTS to the mixing bowl (reserve 1/3 cup flour to assist mixing).Stir ingredients together with a utensil (or stand mixer on low speed) until a shaggy dough forms.
• Mix and knead dough with your hands (or stand mixer on low speed) about 5 minutes until it becomes stretchy and pliable. During mixing, sprinkle tiny amounts of the reserved flour into the bowl to prevent sticking.
• Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and shape into a tight, round form, tucking the sides under to form a seam on the bottom.
• Perform 1st proof/rise by placing dough in an oil-coated mixing bowl (or Instant Pot), seam side down. Cover with a towel or draped plastic wrap and allow to double in size (about 45 min).
• Deflate the dough (aka punch it down) to remove air bubbles. You can move on to the next step, or...Perform 2nd proof/rise by shaping the dough into a tight round and repeat step 5. (The 2nd proof/rise is optional, but recommended to further develop texture and flavor)
• Preheat oven to 375°F and let's shape these loaves...Transfer the dough onto lightly floured surface. Press to deflate air pockets and divide dough into 2 or 3 equal sections.Press each piece into a loose rectangle shape.Fold and press dough into itself until it becomes tight while forming it into the final shape (baguette, loaf, or round).Transfer to a prepared baking sheet or loaf pan. Brush surface with olive oil and cover to prevent air exposure.
• Perform final proof/rise by resting forms in a warm spot until nearly doubled in size.Score the dough by making 1/4" slits across each loaf with a razor or knife.
• Bake 20-25 minutes, rotating as needed for even browning.The bread will be golden brown. It should register an internal temperature of 190°F on an instant-read thermometer.
• Transfer loaves onto a cooling rack and rest 5 minutes.Remove loaves from pans and rest on the cooling rack until completely cooled (to retain moisture).Store cooled bread in a plastic bag or airtight container up to 2 days at room temperature or 5 days in the refrigerator.

PEAR-WALNUT-CRANBERRY QUICK BREAD WITH VANILLA BEAN GLAZE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly brush one 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan or three 6-by-3-by-2-inch mini loaf pans with melted butter and set aside.
• Combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Add the cranberries and walnuts and toss together. Set aside.
• Whisk together the melted butter, yogurt, vanilla extract, eggs and grated zest if using in a small bowl. Stir in the shredded pears. Fold this mixture into the flour mixture until just incorporated.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan(s). Tap the bottom on a hard surface a few times and smooth the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes for the regular and 35 to 40 minutes for the minis. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes, then turn the bread out and let cool completely on the rack.
• Whisk together the confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla bean seeds in a small bowl.
• Pour the glaze over the bread and allow to set at room temperature, 15 to 20 minutes. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

HEALTHY CRANBERRY WALNUT BREAD

Steps:

• Put all ingredients except cranberries and walnuts in the bread machine pan.
• Bake at light crust, basic setting.
• Check the dough in the early stages of mixing. It should form a smooth but slightly sticky ball.
• Add additional flour, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough ball looks right. I usually have to add 2-3 tablespoons more flour, but it varies with the amount of humidity in the air.
• Add cranberries and walnuts at the add fruit signal, or about five minutes before the end of the kneading cycle.

CRANBERRY WALNUT BREAD

Steps:

• Place all of the ingredients (except the cranberries and the walnuts) in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Light Crust and Sweet Cycle and press Start.
• If your machine has a Fruit setting, add the cranberries and walnuts at the signal, or around 5 minutes before the kneading cycle has finished.

CRANBERRY NUT BREAD I

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
• Combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the cranberries and walnuts, and stir to coat with flour. Mix together the egg, oil, orange juice, and orange zest. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture, and stir until just blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack, and cool completely.

CRANBERRY WALNUT BREAD RECIPE -- NO KNEAD & CAST IRON COOKED

Steps:

• Combine all dry ingredients in large mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly.
• Add 1 1/2 cups water and stir with rubber spatula. Add remaining water (and more) as needed until you have a thoroughly mixed, wet, sticky mass of dough. (The dough will be wet and will not form a ball.).
• Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature, out of direct sunlight, for 12 to 18 hours.
• After 12 to 18 hours have passed, your dough should be dotted with bubbles and more than doubled in size. (It may also have a strong alcohol smell to it, but don't mind that, it will burn off in the baking.) Dust wooden cutting board with bread flour and, using your plastic dough scrapers, scrape dough loose from sides of bowl and turn out onto board in one piece. Dough will be loose and sticky, but do not add more flour. Dust top lightly with flour and cover with clean cotton or linen tea towel (terry cloth will stick and leave lint on dough). Let dough rise for another 1 to 2 hours.
• About 30 minutes before second rise is complete, place your cast-iron pot (without lid) on rack positioned in lower third of oven (not at the very bottom). Heat oven to 475°F.
• Once oven has reached 475°, remove pot using heavy-duty potholders (be very careful at this stage - the pot and oven are extremely hot). Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon coarse cornmeal evenly over bottom of pot.
• Uncover dough and, using two plastic dough scrapers, shape dough into a ball by folding it over onto itself a few times. With scrapers, lift dough carefully and let it fall into preheated pot by slowly separating the scrapers. Dust top of dough with rolled oats. Cover pot and bake for 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes, remove cover from pot and continue baking for additional 15 minutes, or until loaf is browned, but not burned.
• Remove pot from oven. With sturdy wooden or metal spatula, pry loaf from pot and transfer to cooling rack. Do not slice bread for minimum of 1 hour - this cooling time completes the process and shouldn't be overlooked!