Recipe: Honey Walnut Bread (yeast bread - makes 4 loaves)

HONEY WALNUT BREAD
Makes 4 loaves (1 1/2-pounds each)

1 cup warm (90 degrees) water
1 tablespoon yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups milk (warmed and cooled to 90 degrees)
2 eggs
1 cup walnuts
2 cups whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup honey
4 tablespoons safflower oil
1 tablespoon salt
8 cups bread flour

In a large bowl or mixer with a dough hook, mix the warm water, sugar and yeast. Let the yeast proof until foamy, about 10 minutes.

Add the milk, eggs, walnuts, wheat flour, honey, oil, and salt. You can add a little of the bread flour until you have a thick batter. Let this batter rise and bubble (about 30 minutes in a warm, draft-free place).

Gradually add more bread flour until a fairly stiff ball is formed. Knead the dough for 10 minutes by hand or 5 minutes in a mixer. Lightly oil the dough and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm place until double in bulk (about an hour).

Punch down dough and shape into four round loaves. Dust with bread flour and make shallow, X-shaped slashes in the top. Let the loaves proof 30 to 40 minutes in a warm place.

Preheat oven to 375 degree F.

Bake loaves 35 to 45 minutes.

Source: The Contra Costa Times, Nov. 3, 1999