Walnut Bread

My husband asked me to bake bread yesterday and since I had a just a cup of whole wheat flour and some wheat bran and semolina that I wanted to use up, I decided to get creative and devise my own recipe.

So that's how this delicious Walnut Bread came about. I'm so glad I wrote down the recipe as I made it because I definitely want to make it again.

The bread is moist, slices easily and is full of healthy ingredients. From personal experience, I highly recommend eating a slice warm out of the oven with a bit of butter and honey. 

The recipe makes two loaves. Since I was planning on making homemade garden burgers for dinner yesterday evening, I made one loaf and eight hamburger buns.

Homemade hamburger buns.

Use a serrated knife to slice the buns in half.

Here is the recipe:

Walnut Bread
(makes 2 loaves)

1 1/2 tablespoons yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/3 cup molasses
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 cups water
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup semolina flour
1/3 cup wheat bran
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
4 1/2 to 5 1/2 cups unbleached flour

In a small bowl dissolve the yeast in the 1/2 cup of warm water. Add the 1/2 teaspoon of sugar and set aside to proof for 5 to 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the 2 cups of water with the molasses, olive oil and salt. Add the yeast mixture, walnuts, semolina, wheat bran, wheat flour and oats. Mix well.

Add the unbleached flour a cup at a time until a soft dough forms. Knead for 5 to 10 minutes, adding additional flour as necessary.

Let the dough rise, covered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until double in bulk. Punch down and let rise again until double in bulk.

The dough before rising.

Grease two loaf pans. Divide the dough in half and form two loaves and place in the prepared pans.

A shaped loaf that needs just 30 to 40 minutes to rise before baking.

Hamburger buns can also be made with the dough. Shape the dough into rounds and use your hands to flatten them on a baking sheet. I used a parchment-lined baking sheet but a greased baking sheet also works.

Let the loaves rise for 30 to 40 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and bake for 40 to 45 minutes.

Remove the loaves from the pans and set on a rack to cool. Or, just get to it and enjoy a slice warm out of the oven.