Why this recipe works Baked goods studded with tart dried cranberries and rich walnuts often grace the table during the fall and winter holidays. We wanted to bring these seasonal flavors to a sturdy yet moist sandwich bread that we could top with the previous day’s leftovers—or just bake whenever we wished to dress up lunch. We cut the bread flour for our loaf with some whole-wheat flour; since whole-wheat flour doesn’t form a strong gluten network as readily as does bread flour, it helped yield the density we were looking for. The whole-wheat flour also complemented the earthy flavor of the walnuts in our bread. We noticed that the bottom of our loaf consistently emerged from the oven dark and bitter, so we baked it on a stacked set of two baking sheets for added insulation, and we raised the oven rack to the middle position for even heat distribution around the loaf. This browned the entire exterior evenly.
MAKES: 1 loaf
RISING TIME: 2 to 3 hours
BAKING TIME: 45 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 3¾ to 4¾ hours, plus 3 hours cooling time
KEY EQUIPMENT: 2 rimmed baking sheets, pastry brush, instant-read thermometer
INGREDIENTS:
- 2¼ cups (12⅓ ounces) bread flour
- 10 tablespoons (3½ ounces) whole-wheat flour
- ¾ cup dried cranberries
- ¾ cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
- 2 teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1¼ cups (10 ounces) water, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water and pinch salt
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Whisk bread flour, whole-wheat flour, cranberries, walnuts, yeast, and salt together in a bowl of a stand mixer.
- Whisk water, sugar, and oil in a 4-cup liquid measuring cup until the sugar has dissolved.
- Using the dough hook on low speed, slowly add the water mixture to the flour mixture and mix until a cohesive dough starts to form and no dry flour remains, about 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Increase the speed to medium-low and knead the dough until it is smooth, elastic, and clears the sides of the bowl, about 8 minutes.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured counter and knead it by hand to form a smooth, round ball, about 30 seconds. Place the dough seam side down in a lightly greased large bowl or container, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let it rise until doubled in size, 1½ to 2 hours.
- Stack 2 rimmed baking sheets and line them with aluminum foil. Press down on the dough to deflate it. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter with the side that was against the bowl facing up. Press and stretch the dough into a 6-inch square.
- Fold the top corners of the dough diagonally into the center of the square and press gently to seal. Stretch and fold the upper third of the dough toward the center and press the seam gently to seal.
- Stretch and fold the dough in half toward you to form a rough 8 by 4-inch loaf and pinch the seam closed. Roll the loaf seam side down. Gently slide your hands underneath each end of the loaf and transfer it to the prepared baking sheet. Reshape the loaf as needed, tucking the edges under to form a taut torpedo shape.
- Cover the loaf loosely with greased plastic and let it rise until the loaf increases in size by about half and the dough springs back minimally when poked gently with your knuckle, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Using a sharp paring knife or a single-edge razor blade, make one ½-inch-deep slash with a swift, fluid motion lengthwise along the top of the loaf, starting and stopping about ½ inch from the ends.
- Gently brush the loaf with the egg mixture and bake for 15 minutes. Then, reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and continue to bake until the loaf is dark brown and registers 205 to 210 degrees Fahrenheit, 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through baking.
- Transfer the loaf to a wire rack and let it cool completely, about 3 hours, before serving.
