Now that we are approaching Christmas so fast, dried fruit and nuts must be on the table and in the bread. If there is anything that goes well with cheese, it is dried fruit and (lots) of nuts.
Right now I’m in hotel with the team and here’s one of my favorite places to try this. Here you will find a huge selection in large bags and of a formidable quality. You’ll probably get to see it when I get home again. Until then, you have to settle for the recipe for the good bread, which will dress any cheese and in no way gets worse from being toasted a little hard.
My favorite combination is definitely the whole, small, dried figs and pecans, but you can of course combine exactly as you like.
BREAD INGREDIENTS:
375 grms Wheat Flour
90 grms Coarse spelled flour, rye flour or other coarse flour
15 grms Yeast
1 tsp Maldon Salt
375 ml of water
135 grms Whole Pecans, coarsely chopped walnuts, hazelnuts or sunflower seeds
200 grms Figs – whole (if small) or coarsely chopped if slightly larger
PREP:
Yeast is stirred into water. Add the two kinds of flour and knead the dough for 5 minutes.
Add the salt and knead now until the dough is completely smooth and even and you can make the finest gluten sample.
Finally add figs and nuts. If they stir for too long, they get completely crushed by the mixer and that’s almost a shame.
Cover your bowl and set it cool for 8-16 hours or let it rise at room temperature for a few hours.
Bake at 225 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Be sure to tilt the bread onto the hot baking tray and toss a cup of water in the bottom of the oven with the bread.
