Cranberry Walnut Bread

I love the cranberry walnut bread from Whole Foods, so I looked online for a copycat recipe. I found a recipe that sounded like it would work, so I tried it out. I photographed the process for some more practice shooting in manual. I am giving you fair warning there will be a lot photos this post. Lets start with our ingredients: I actually keep all of the ingredients on hand except craisins and vital wheat gluten. 1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour 2 1/3 cups bread flour...less 2 tablespoons 2 tbsps vital wheat glutin 1 1/2 tsps salt 1/4 cup honey 2/3 cup craisins 1tsp cinnamon 1/2 cup nuts of your choice 2 measures of yeast (2 envelopes, or 5 teaspoons full, or 2 scant tablespoons full) 1 1/3 cups warm water water (between 115 and 120 degrees). I do not have a standing mixer, so I mixed this all by hand. There is a slight difference in the order of ingredients if you are using a standing mixer. Just leave me a comment if you would like that version of the recipe. Step 1: Mix the yeast and water in a bowl, then set aside. Note: Make sure you keep your water temperature between 115-120 degrees so you don't kill the yeast. Step 2: Then in a separate mixing bowl add 1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour Note: It's lighter and softer if you make your flour a larger proportion of white bread flour to whole wheat flour.

Step 3: Add 1 1/2 tsps salt

Step 4: Add 1 tsp cinnamon

Step 5: Add 2 tbsps vital wheat gluten

Step 6: Whisk all of your dry ingredients together.

(sorry no photo)

Step 7: Mix the yeast and water with the dry ingredients.

Step 8: Then add 1/4 cup honey

Step 9: Add 2/3 cup craisins

Step 10: Add 1/2 cup walnuts

Step 11: Mix the walnuts and craisins with the wet ingredients.

Step 12: Gradually add the bread flour, until just mixed.

Step 13: Turn out onto a board and knead until smooth adding white flour as needed

to form a smooth dough ball.

Note: I had 1/3 cup of bread flour left over.

Step 14: Place dough in oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a cloth. Place in a warm place to rise. When double (about 1 1/2 hours) punch down and allow to double again.

Note: I preheat my oven while the dough is rising and set the bowl next to oven so it is warm enough.

Step 15: Turn out onto lightly floured board and form into 2 boules, cover with oiled plastic wrap and a cloth. Then allow to rise on parchment covered baking sheet until almost double, about one hour.

Note: Next time I make this I will just make one large boule because cut in two the boules they seemed too small.

Step 16: Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes, until the inside tests 190 to 200 with an instant read thermometer.

Finally

the finished product...

This is a photo I took of the actual Whole Foods bread. Mine doesn't look just like it, but tastes really really close.

I will probably tweak this recipe here and there ie, add flaxseed, play with the flour proportions, etc.

Enjoy!

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