Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Bread with Walnuts

This is not your old school, sweet and soft-textured raisin bread. As a kid I loved an occasional raisin bread treat, a toasted thin slice swirled with barely a hint of sweet cinnamon and raisins. That loaf was fluffy, a close cousin to Wonder bread in taste and texture, and rare enough in our household to be a special treat. This sourdough version isn't even remotely relately to that insipid bread of my childhood. Ahhhh, this raisin bread from Emilie Raffa's book Artisan Sourdough Made Simple offers texture and crunch along with a distinct cinnamon flavor in every bite.

Raisin bread is not a new idea, 

Wikipedia notes "there have been published recipes for bread with raisins since 1671. Since the 15th century, breads made with raisins were made in Europe. In Germany stollen was a Christmas bread. Kulich was an Easter bread made in Russia and panettone was made in Italy. The earliest citation for "raisin bread" in the Oxford English Dictionary is dated to an 1845 article in Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine."

Raffa's sourdough version changed my view of what raisin bread could be. I took a few liberties with her recipe on my first attempt and still ended up with good results. We are already anticipating the next loaves for breakfast slices and snacks.

Results from the first bake:

Crust: I'll admit that first crunchy bite was a bit of a shock when my food memory anticipated the squishy-soft bread of childhood. RL and I quickly adjusted our expectations and reveled in this altogether new slice. Yes, the crust was crackling hard on day one, but thin enough so no tooth was endangered. After overnighting in a plastic bag, the crust softened somewhat, but remained fairly firm on day two. There was no bread left for further comment, we ate it all quite happily.

Crumb: the interior was soft but not sandwich-bread soft. My first loaves were not as airy as those pictured in Raffa's photo; an issue for this cook to work on. Now that my sourdough Old Faithful is back in active form any missteps are definitely mine.

Filling: the ratio of cinnamon mix, raisins and walnuts was ample, providing a treat to savor in each bite.   

Taste: cool or toasted and spread with just a slather of butter, the bread seemed undersalted. A sprinkle of sea salt on top made a difference. Spread with cream cheese or berry preserves, salt was not an issue. 

Baker's Notes: 

• I do not own the long rectangular proofing basket or baking pot specified so formed two smaller loaves instead. One loaf baked in a round cast-iron dutch oven with lid, preheated at 400 F, and the second loaf baked uncovered in a glass loaf pan that was not preheated. The results were remarkably similar.
• When/if the cinnamon and sugar mix leaks out it will caramelize in spots on the bottom crust to form a rock-hard lava-like blob. Cut that mess away and toss - burnt sugar adds nothing to the bread experience!

• Soaking the raisins and walnuts did not keep the exposed bits from scorching on my loaves. Next time I will carefully poke them back in before baking. This round I just popped those few bits off before slicing.

With only two of us to indulge in a freshly baked loaf I'll put off a second round of baking for another week or two, but there will be more sourdough cinnamon raisin bread with walnuts in my kitchen soon. Sooner if I decide to share more loaves - anyone nearby want to share?

 Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Bread with Walnuts

slightly adapted from Emilie Raffa's Artisan Sourdough Made Simple.

makes 2 standard loaves

1/4 cup active sourdough starter
1/4 tsp rapid rise yeast (optional, added for insurance only)
generous 12 oz warm water
rounded 4+ 1/4 cups bread flour (Raffa used bread flour & whole wheat flour)
1+ 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

1/3 cup raisins, soaked to plump
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped large & soaked to soften

1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 rounded tsp cinnamon

Day 1:
Whisk the starter and water together in a large bowl. Add the flour and salt; stir to incorporate. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and rest for an hour. While the dough is resting soak the raisins and walnuts in warm water. Note: drain well before using!

Add drained raisins and nuts to the rested dough; knead briefly & gently to incorporate. Add a sprinkle or two of flour to adjust the consistency, as needed. Note: avoid adding too much flour.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and let rise overnight until doubled in size (or 8 to 10 hours).

Day 2:
Place the dough on a lightly floured board & let rest for 15 minutes or more. Line proofing vessels with flour-dusted towels or sprayed parchment paper. Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl & set aside.

Flour your hands and stretch half of the dough into a long rectangle. Brush the surface with water & sprinkle the sugar/cinnamon mix evenly over the top. Leave a clean border around the rim for a better seal after rolling. Begin with a short side and roll the dough into a log. Pinch the ends to seal. Move to the proofing vessel with seam side up. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Cover the dough logs and let them rest and rise again, 30 to 60 minutes. They will not double in size. Preheat the oven to 425 while the dough rests. Cut parchment paper to generously fit the baking pots if you used proofing baskets. Put the paper over the baskets, invert and remove baskets. Otherwise gently roll your loaves over, seam side down on their parchment bases. Gently poke any exposed nuts and raisins back under the surface to prevent scorching.

Dust the surface with flour; make 2 or 3 shallow diagonal slashes (shallow to avoid exposing the filling). Use the paper & lift the loaves into their baking pots.

Bake covered 20 minutes on the center oven rack. Remove lid and bake uncovered for an additional 30 to 40 minutes (aim for 190 to 200 degrees F at the center). Remove to a wire baking rack and cool for at least one hour before slicing.
   

Walnut Bread

This savory, slightly rich walnut bread has become a multitasking favorite in my galley. It is uncomplicated to make, holds well for days on the counter (for months in the freezer), and tastes downright delicious. What's not to like?! While it might resemble a hearty rye bread, the recipe calls for any standard all-purpose flour. I used King Arthur unbleached AP flour, but attritute the loaves' brown interior to the walnuts rather than the unbleached flour. Walnuts will do that. 

Walnut bread with melted cheddar and sauced eggs on walnut bread toast

We enjoy a thick slice still warm from the oven, often slathered with butter as a stand-alone treat or maybe as an accompaniment to a hearty bowl of soup. Add chunky walnut bread croutons to a turkey Caesar salad for a filling entree. Toast thin slices for open faced sandwiches or appetizer bases. Dip crispy walnut bread soldiers into your morning's soft boiled eggs. See, definitely a multitasking favorite!  

Photo from the cookbook Cooking for the Week

The recipe calls for 4-1/2 to 5-1/2 cups of flour, a wide range that should not be a problem for anyone with even a little breadbaking experience. "Smooth and elastic" is the key phrase; aim for a workable dough without adding too much flour. Like to play with ingredients? add some of your favorite herbs, or maybe a handful of feta cheese crumbles. Rosemary or fennel? Mmmm, maybe shallots or garlic? Let me know how you enjoy your version of Walnut Bread.

Walnut Bread

from Cooking for the Week: leisurely weekend cooking for easy weekday meals
makes 2 round loaves

1 tsp dry yeast
1 cup (8-oz) warm water (80-90 F)
1 cup all-purpose flour

12-oz walnut pieces
3/4 cup (6-oz) warm water
1-1/2 tsp dry yeast
1 Tbs salt
1/2 cup (4-oz) olive oil (or walnut oil if you have some)
2 tsp ground pepper
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (up to 1 cup more, as needed)

1. Place water and yeast in a large bowl; stir and let stand until active; stir in the cup of flour. Cover loosely and set aside in a warm place for an hour, or until bubbly.
2. Uncover and add the nuts, water, yeast, salt, oil and pepper to the mix. Add 4 cups of the flour in 1-cup increments and stir to mix. Add additional flour as needed to result in a slightly sticky dough.
3. Turn out onto a floured workspace. Knead the dough until "smooth and elastic", adding light sprinkles of flour as needed to prevent sticking. Return the dough to the bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in volume. In my kitchen that took 2 hours.
4. On a floured workspace, split the dough in half. With each piece form a round ball, pulling the edges into the center and pressing the seam firmly. Place with seam-side down on a silpat or parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, roughly one hour.
5. 20 minutes before baking the loaves, preheat the oven to 450 F. Slash each loaf with 2 or 3 cuts and place the baking sheet on a rack in the lower third of the oven.
6. Spritz the oven walls with water 5 -6 times and quickly close the door. Spray again after 5 minutes, and again after 5 more minutes. After 20 minutes reduce the oven temperature to 400 F and bake until the loaves are "nicely browned". Use an instant-read thermometer to check the center of the bread for 200 F or higher. 
7. Remove from the oven and place on a baking rack to cool completely before slicing. Enjoy immediately or wrap a cooled loaf in plastic or foil, place in a large freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

Chicken Lasagna with Greens, Mushrooms & Walnuts

Have you heard? lasagna is the next big food trend. Really?! No, I didn't make that up. I read that startling information online this week as Taste predicted 2018 will be "The Year of Lasagna." Well, for once I am on trend with my recent pan of a creamy white chicken lasagna served with a dollop of red sauce on the side. Mmmmm, I can't help but smile in contentment while remembering the flavors of this favorite comfort food. I won't make any claims for healthy eating with this recipe, just a promise of irresistible palate-pleasing layers of rich, creamy deliciousness. 

Do you remember your first pan of lasagna? Old school lasagna with red sauce might have been one of my first kitchen achievements as a new bride, along with spaghetti & meatballs, Irene's tuna cashew casserole, and a handful of taco and enchilada concoctions. The tuna casserole dropped off the menu decades ago, and my lasagna casseroles have strayed markedly away from the more traditional. Nonetheless, winter weather still calls for a tempting pan of baked pasta.  

Well-suited for a weeknight meal, or for make-ahead cooking on the weekend to serve later in the week or freeze, this white-sauced chicken lasagna merits repeat appearances. Make a double batch, you will love the convenience of a ziploc bag filled with frozen individual servings to reheat on a busy weeknight. Yes, it's that good and shines as a quicker version of similar but more time consuming recipes. Use no-cook pasta sheets to eliminate one messy step; Italian seasoned chicken sausage will take less time to prep than chicken pieces; and a jar of sauce can substitute for your own homemade red sauce. I won't judge. 

The lasagna tastes decadently rich and satisfying enough so one 8"x8" dish provides six servings for the two of us. It's freezer-friendly after baking, with individual servings wrapped in plastic wrap, and then a wrap of aluminum foil. I defrost, unwrap and place in individual ovenproof dishes to reheat in the oven. Cover and bake until warmed completely through, then uncover and bake a bit longer to bubble the cheese and crisp up the top. Yum.  

Chicken Lasagna with Greens, Mushrooms & Walnuts

serves 4-6

6 small no-cook lasagna noodles
1 cup ricotta, whipped with a fork to loosen
4 cups fresh spinach, cleaned & rough chopped
1 cup walnut pieces, rough chopped
1 lb Italian chicken sausage, cooked or 2 cups cooked thigh meat
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, shredded
*Mushroom Bechamel Sauce (see below)
2 cups prepared red pasta sauce (optional accompaniment) 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Set out the ingredients and lightly coat an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Prepare the sauce and set aside.
3. To Assemble: Spread a scant cup of sauce evenly across the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange 2 or 3 lasagna noodles on top of the sauce, covering without overlapping. Dollop 1/2 of the ricotta on top of the noodles, spreading it around somewhat; next scatter 1/2 of the spinach. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the nuts, 1/2 of the chicken and finish with 1/3 of the cheeses. 
4. Cover with half of the remaining sauce and repeat the layers. Top with the remaining pasta, sauce and cheeses.
5. Cover with aluminum foil, place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes longer until golden and bubbly. OR place under the broiler for several minutes until lightly browned in spots. Let rest for 10+ minutes before serving to firm up.
6. Use a wide spatula to serve, accompanied with warmed red pasta sauce if you choose.

Mushroom Behamel Sauce

1/4 cup butter

2 cloves garlic, mashed

1/2 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced thin

6 fat green spring onions, minced

1/4 cup flour

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

2 cups whole milk, lukewarm

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1/8 tsp fresh nutmeg

Salt and white pepper, to taste

1. Melt butter over medium heat in a saucepan. Add garlic, mushrooms & onions and cook 4-5 minutes until onions are translucent and tender. 
2. Sprinkle in flour and cook until flour is incorporated and lightly browned, whisking constantly.
3. In small increments, gradually whisk in the chicken broth and milk and cook until slightly thickened, whisking constantly as it cooks. (The sauce should be loose, not a heavy paste!) Add the basil, oregano and nutmeg; stir to incorporate. Taste; season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside while preparing the lasagna ingredients. 

Apple Quick Bread with Hatch Chiles & Nuts

What is sweet/hot/salty/nutty delicious?

Everything baked in the Fall when apple season and chile harvest overlap... or maybe it just seems that way. Apples, green chiles and nuts are meant to mingle in so many tasty ways.

Our apple-plus-chile cravings developed during a New Mexico road trip, spurred on further with the purchase of Santa Fe Hot & Spicy Recipe.

Cookbooks and local specialty food items are my favorite souvenirs when we travel and I hit the jackpot with this collection of nearly 400 original recipes from Santa Fe's restaurant chefs. Chef's comments and cooking tips add an additional wealth of information. Often I would rather read a cookbook than a novel. You too?

The recipe for Green Chile Pecan Apple Pie (from chef Maggie Faralla at Zia Diner) launched me into full-blown apple/chile baking love. What's not to love about sweet and semi-spicy apple pie with a pecan crust?! Now it seems I want to tweak any apple recipe, savory or sweet, and add green chiles. We may live in the Pacific NorthWest, but we still relish spicy SouthWest flavors. 

This apple/chile quick bread recipe is still a work in progress; the first two batches were too moist and fall-apart crumbly to be quickbread, but were not quite cakelike either. I'll add some cornstarch to the dry ingredients in the next batch to see if it will work as a thickener and create a tighter crumb. If not, then cake pans might replace loaf pans and the result will become a coffeecake instead of a sliceable quickbread. (grin) I forsee a lot of taste tests coming up soon.

Apple Quick Bread with Hatch Chiles & Nuts

1-1/3 cups AP flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon Penzey's Apple Pie Spice
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
2 cups apples, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped (2 medium Granny Smiths)
3 Hatch chiles (about 1/4 cup), roasted, peeled, deseeded, chopped and tossed with 1 Tablespoon of flour (or use a well-drained 4-oz can of roasted chiles)
1/2 cup dried currants (or golden raisins)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans or pine nuts)
1 teaspoon sugar mixed with 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon (for topping)

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F.
2. Use cooking spray to coat 4 small loaf pans. Cover the sides and bottom of the pans with strips of parchment paper to help with pan release and lifting out. Spray the parchment paper.
3. In a small bowl combine the flour, salt, baking soda and spices.
4. In a larger mixing bowl combine the sugar and oil. Beat in the eggs, vanilla, almond & lemon extracts until well blended.
5. Stir in the apple chunks, chopped chiles, dried currants and chopped nuts.
6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients; mix with a large spoon until the flour is thoroughly incorporated.
7. Pour the batter evenly into the 4 prepared pans.
8. Bake on the middle rack in the preheated 325 F oven for 20 minutes. Slide out the oven rack and sprinkle the mixed sugar and cinnamon topping mixture over the top of each loaf. Bake for an additional 40 to 60 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
9. Remove to a baking rack to rest before removing from the loaf pan. Let the loaves cool completely before slicing. Wrap tightly in waxed paper to hold for several days without drying out.  

Butter Pecan Cookies

There is a new favorite cookie in my galley. Yes, it's shocking but true, Cruising Cookies dropped to "also-ran" status last week as we consumed batch after batch of Toasted-Pecan Butter Cookies. Granted, they were small batches of small two-bite treats, but that's still a lot of cookies. 

How good were these soft yet crunchy, buttery baked goods? Guests enjoyed them, even those on diets, and one of the boatyard mechanics asked for the recipe. It is hard to resist a cookie that combines the rich, buttery flavor of shortbread and butter cookies topped with a sprinkle of sugar. 

Soft, really soft butter was the key to ease of forming the little dough balls. They firmed up nicely as I rolled each scoop of dough between my palms, and flattened without crumbling. Dough balls using a colder butter stick resisted compression and were harder to work with. Ahhh, the range between early morning "room temperature" and late afternoon "room temperature" made such a difference! 

Try a batch and see if these nutty cookies become your favorites. Betcha can't eat just one!

Toased-Pecan Butter Cookies

a la Martha Stewart

Yields 1 1/2 - 2 dozen

• 3/4 cup pecans
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature or softer but not melted

  1/3 cup sugar, plus more for coating

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a baking sheet, toast pecans until fragrant, about 6 minutes. Let cool completely and finely chop. 
• Use an electric mixer to cream butter and 1/3 cup sugar until light, about 1 minute. Beat in the remaining ingredients  (vanilla, almond extract if using, salt, and flour), scraping down sides of bowl, just until dough comes together. Fold in pecans. 
• Use a small cookie scoop or a tablespoon to gather small balls of dough; roll and pack into compact balls. Roll in sugar and place 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Gently press with the bottom of a glass to flatten slightly; reshape the sides as necessary. Sprinkle with sugar. 
• Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.  Rotate the cookie sheets halfway through the baking. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with more sugar (optional) and let cool 5-10 minutes on cookie sheet. Remove cookies from baking sheets and let cool completely on a wire rack.(They crumble and break apart if you eat them immediately - ask me how I know!)

Cup of Joe in a Cookie

aka Expresso Walnut Bites

Try some morning espresso in a cookie instead of in a cup. It worked for me this morning when I had caffeine on my mind after scanning some lovely espresso foam art on Pinterest. It has been a long time between home-brewed espressos. RL uses the drip coffee side daily, but the machine's espresso function hasn't see much action lately. 

My mornings now typically begin with a cup of flavored green tea, Moroccan Mint or Jasmine topping the list of current favorites. Whatever happened to those espresso cravings of the past? Don't know, don't care, for now I'll just nibble on some nutty, buttery, espresso-flavored snowballs.

The cookies aren't fussy, but it is important to bake until the bottoms begin to brown, the cookies appear dry on the outside and they feel fairly firm to the touch. Let them cool a bit before moving to a baking rack, otherwise they will crumble. Maybe that is a bit fussy, but these expresso walnut bites are worth a little extra care.

The cookie interior is a bit light on sugar, but a powdered sugar coating makes up for that, adding an airy sweetness to each bite. Indeed, so airy that you may find yourself wearing a fine dusting of white after you nibble on a few cookies.   

Warm cookies will absorb some of the first coating of powdered sugar as they cool. Give them a second roll in powdered sugar to assure a snowball effect; there is no such thing as too much powdered sugar, right? 

Espresso Walnut Bites

inspired by a recipe at joythebaker

Yields about 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

       1 cup all-purpose flour

       1 tablespoon cornstarch

       1/4 teaspoon salt

       1/4 teaspoon baking powder

       2 tablespoons instant expresso coffee (Medaglia D'Oro)

       3 tablespoons light brown sugar, firmly packed

       1 1/2 cups ground or finely chopped walnuts

       1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

       1 scant teaspoon vanilla extract

       a generous splash of almond extract

       1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, for rolling cookies after baking

Directions:

1.   Move an oven rack to the upper middle and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper and set aside. Prepare a flat bowl of powdered sugar.

2.   Sift the dry ingredients together into a medium bowl: flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder and instant espresso powder. Add the finely chopped walnuts and mix to combine.

3.   In a second bowl use a mixer to cream together the butter and brown sugar. Stir in the vanilla and almond extract. 

4.   Add the dry ingredient mixture and use a large wooden spoon to work it into the creamed sugar and butter. Mix the dough until it is a fairly loose, coarse, crumbly meal.

5.   Roll heaping tablespoons of dough between the palms of your hands to form walnut-sized balls. Place an inch or so apart on the prepared baking sheet, the cookies will only spread a little.

6.   Bake for 25-30 minutes, turning the baking sheet front to back halfway through the baking time. Bake until the bottoms barely begin to brown, appear dry on the outside and feel fairly firm to the touch.

7.   Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly and set up a bit, 2 to 3 minutes, before placing in the bowl of powdered sugar. While still warm, roll gently in powdered sugar to generously coat on all surfaces. Place on wire baking rack to cool completely. Roll again in powdered sugar (2nd roll is optional, but why not add a little more fluffy snow to a snowball?)

8.   Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days. Freeze for longer storage.

Fruit and Nut Chocolate Squares

 

Chocolate as a health food? now that's an intriguing claim. I haven't read the research on the efficacy of chocolate as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, blood pressure reduction agent or any of the other claims, just skimmed a few brief summaries, but I'm willing to embrace the health food notion. Chocolate works for me as a soothing mood enhancer. Just thinking about it, I'm ready to sign up for a daily dose of chocolate therapy... as long as it's good dark chocolate. None of the disappointing, fat-filled, paraffinlike, pseudo-chocolate for me, thank you very much. Good chocolate isn't cheap but spend a little extra for a flavor you love. You don't need to get label crazy, but it's worth the extra pennies to purchase a better quality. Chocolate is the star of this treat. 

Gnawing on a block or a bar of bittersweet chocolate might provide a quick, semi-guilty bite of bliss, but here's an easy-to-prepare option that looks suitable to share with company... if you can bring yourself to share. Add a few dried fruits and nuts to some barely melted chocolate, spread in a pan, chill and voila! you have a pan of decadent, supremely satisfying, chocolate temptation. Now how easy is that? Healthy? well, maybe. Tasty? oh yes, definitely YES! 

Fruit and Nut Chocolate Squares

Recipe based on several others found online at Gourmet/Epicurious, Orangette, FoodNetwork, and a host of others.

1 ¼ lb bittersweet chocolate, 60-70%, chopped

Vegetable oil to grease the pan

2/3 cup dried cranberries (or other dried fruit)

2/3 cup golden raisins (or other dried fruit)

2/3 cup roasted, shelled pistachios, salted or unsalted

2/3 cup roasted peanuts, salted or unsalted (or other nut)

1. Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang all around for easy removal. Lightly brush the foil with vegetable oil or spray with a cooking spray.
2. Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth.
3. When the chocolate is melted, remove it from the heat and add the fruit and nuts, stirring to incorporate. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, and spread it evenly with the back of a spoon or rubber spatula. 
4. Place the pan in the refrigerator, and chill for about an hour, or until the chocolate is firm and cold.
5. Use the foil overhang to lift the chilled chocolate mixture from the pan, and transfer to a cutting board. Peel back the foil, and cut the chocolate into whatever size you desire, dainty 1-inch cubes or something larger.

Note: These candies keep in the refrigerator, wrapped in foil or in an airtight container with foil between the layers, for up to two weeks.