Rustic Revival
Baking bread doesn’t have to be complicated. Using readily-available ingredients and simple techniques, any baker can whip up a warm batch of comfort, perfect for sharing with a neighbor or friend.
CINNAMON RAISIN PECAN ARTISAN BREAD
Ingredients
3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons coarse
kosher sea salt
1 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons
warm water
1/2 cup raisins (fresh is best)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped
toasted pecans
Preparation
Whisk the flour, salt, cinnamon and yeast in a medium bowl. While stirring with a wooden spoon, gradually add the water and stir until incorporated.
Toss in the raisins and pecans, mix the dough gently, and form into a rough ball.
Transfer to a large clean (ungreased) bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rise in a draft-free area at room temperature until surface of dough is covered with tiny bubbles and the dough has more than doubled in size for 12-18 hours.
Place a Dutch oven in the cold oven with the lid on and preheat oven to 450°.
Place a piece of parchment paper on counter and dust it generously with flour. Rub flour on hands and scoop dough away from sides of the bowl to remove and place it on the parchment paper.
Lightly dust dough with flour, cover it with plastic wrap, and allow it to rest for 30 minutes. Remove plastic wrap and trim parchment paper into a close circle around the dough.
Using a sharp knife, at a 90 degree angle, score an X in the top of the loaf. Each score mark should be about 3 1/2 inches long and about 1/4 inch deep. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the top of the bread with water.
Take Dutch oven out, and transfer the dough still on the parchment paper to the Dutch oven.
Place lid on and cook in oven 30 minutes.
Remove the lid and continue cooking 8-12 minutes or until the top is nice and dark (but not burnt).
Remove from the oven and transfer the loaf of bread to a cooling rack.
CRANBERRY HONEY WALNUT ARTISAN BREAD
Ingredients
3 cups all purpose flour, plus 3 tablespoons
1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup dried cranberries
1 1/2 cups water at room temperature
1/4 cup liquid honey, plus more for drizzling on after baking
Preparation
Add flour to large bowl. Using a wooden spoon, add yeast to one side of the bowl and salt to other side. Stir each side individually, then mix both sides together.
Add the cranberries and walnuts to the flour mixture and stir.
Combine the honey and water and stir with a fork to combine. Add to flour and stir with a wooden spoon until combined well. Mixture will be sticky.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit for 12-18 hours in a warm room to allow the dough to rise.
Place a Dutch oven in the cold oven with the lid on and preheat oven to 450°.
Place a piece of parchment paper on counter and dust it generously with flour.
Rub flour on hands and scoop dough away from sides of the bowl to remove and place it on the parchment paper.
Shape dough into a circle, handling as little as possible.
Sprinkle flour over the top of the loaf and loosely cover it with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for another 45 minutes.
Remove plastic wrap and trim parchment paper into a close circle around the dough.
Take Dutch oven out, and transfer the dough still on the parchment paper to the Dutch oven.
Place lid on and cook in oven 30 minutes.
Remove lid and continue cooking 15 minutes.
Remove Dutch oven and place on cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
Once cooled, remove and drizzle a bit of honey over top.
Recipes & Preparation by Amy Sherman