Cranberry Walnut Bread

There is no kneading with this bread so there's little effort involved in this process. It turns out to have a crispy crust but a soft doughy center with a crunch of walnuts and sweet dried cranberries really drive this bread home. With only a few ingredients and not a lot of prep time, this recipe is a breeze.

I made this in my dutch oven, but ensure you have the time to let this rest and rise properly. I just love the way baking this bread fills the house with the most delicious smell. And it's great served warm with a little butter, and I have great plans for this bread around Thanksgiving to slice and use to make turkey sandwiches with the leftover fixings.

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Servings: 6-12

Prep Time: 10 min

Total Time: 12 hrs

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups + 3 Tbsp flour

• 1 1/2 tsp instant yeast

• 2 tsp sea salt

• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

• 1 cup dried cranberries

• 1 1/2 cups warm water

• 2 Tbsp honey

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, gently stir the yeast, water, and honey. Let sit for 5 minutes in order to get frothy.

2. Using a wooden spoon, stir in three cups of flour, the salt, walnuts, and cranberries until everything is combined.

3. Form the dough into a rough ball, return it to the bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in a warm place and allow to rise overnight or at least 10 hours.

4. After the dough has risen, preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Place your dutch oven with the lid on it in the cold oven and allow it to reach temperature.

5. Place a piece of parchment paper on the counter and dust it with 3 Tbsp of flour. Rub some of the flour on your hands and turn the dough onto the parchment paper. Form the dough into a rough circular loaf. If the dough seems too fluid, you can knead another 1/4 cup of flour into the dough before you shape it.

6. Sprinkle some loose flour over the top of the loaf, cover it loosly with plastic wrap and allow to rise a second time for 45 minutes.

7. Once the 45 minutes have passed, remove the pot from the oven (carefully), and remove the lid. Transfer the dough to the pot via the parchment paper. Score the top of the loaf (or just make a big "x").

8. Place the lid on top of the pot and return the pot to the oven to bake for 30 minutes. At that point, remove the lid and continue to bake for 15 more minutes to allow the crust to crisp up. If you so desire, drizzle a little more honey on top of the loaf at this time.

9. Resist the urge to cut the bread for at least 15 minutes!