Bread baking may not be an every day event, but it can be a fun weekend project with delicious rewards. This recipe delivers a gorgeous, crusty loaf with a tender crumb and makes great French toast too!
Earlier this week, I saw a friend’s photo of a piece of crusty peasant bread with a big smear of strawberry jam on it. The jam caught my attention first.
I make loads of jam with fresh berries every summer just like my Fountain Avenue grandmother did. It turns a simple piece of bread into something special and transforms an ordinary pb&j into something extraordinary.
But back to the bread. For some reason, this picture stopped me in my tracks. When I found the link to the recipe, I felt compelled to make the bread that very day.
I have never been a regular bread maker, but oh to have an artisanal loaf such as this emerge from my oven!
The original recipe from my friend Alice D’Antoni Phillips of Ally’s Kitchen was a cranberry walnut bread with white wine thrown in for good measure. I decided I would take the framework of this incredible-looking bread and make it my own.
After a little pondering, I came up with a raisin-pecan spin flavored with apple cider and a touch of cinnamon. To my great joy, the end result was everything I hoped it would be based on that first mouth-watering photograph.
The best part is that it was really quite easy!
Crusty Pecan Raisin Cider Bread
Ingredients
- 2 packages active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup warm water (about 120 degrees)
- 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 1/2 cup apple cider, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamom
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup steel cut oats
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (plus about half a cup more for kneading on counter)
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine yeast and water. ย Stir to blend into a liquid. ย Add room-temperature buttermilk and apple cider, salt, cinnamon, and sugar. ย Mix well. ย Add steel cut oats, raisins, and pecans. ย Slowly add flour, white and wheat, mixing with a wooden spoon. ย The dough will be thick and it will eventually be easier to get in there and mix with your hands. ย Knead in the bowl for about three minutes.
- Then, turn onto a floured surface and knead for an additional five minutes or so, adding a little of the reserved flour, as needed, to prevent sticking. ย Shape into a large ball. ย Coat your mixing bowl with oil and place the dough ball back in. ย Cover and let rise for a couple of hours orย until dough has doubled in size.
- Punch down and knead for an additional five minutes. ย Shape into a loaf--round, oblong, or whichever shape you prefer. ย With a sharp knife, make a few slits across the top. ย Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or, if you have one, a baking stone or lightly-greased cast iron skillet. ย Bake at 375 degrees for 50-55 minutes. ย If toward the end of the cooking time the bread is getting too brown on the top, cover lightly with foil. ย Conversely, if you want the crust to brown some more, heat the oven to 425 degrees for the last five to seven minutes. ย Just take a peek towards the end of the cooking time as all ovens vary a bit.
- Let the bread cool for 30 minutes before slicing. ย Using a sharp, serrated knife, turn the bread on its side to slice. ย This will help prevent tearing of the beautiful, crusty top.
- Leftovers are delicious toasted and served with a jam of your choice or butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.
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