No-Knead Cranberry Walnut Bread
An easy, 3-hour rise, no-knead, cranberry walnut bread with a generous measure of cranberries and walnuts. Slice and serve with a slathering of butter! This large loaf of bread is a holiday family favorite.
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Servings: 16 Servings
Calories: 132kcal
Ingredients
- 4-½ cups plus 3 tablespoons 580 grams all purpose flour
- 1-½ packets 11 grams or 3 teaspoons Quick Rise or RapidRise instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons table salt
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup coarsely chopped roasted walnuts
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2-¼ cups warm water 120-125°F
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and the yeast.
- Add the cranberries and walnuts and stir to combine with the flour mixture.
- Combine the honey with the water and add to the flour mixture. Stir with a spoon until well combined.
- Scrape the dough into another large bowl that has been coated with oil spray. Cover the bowl with either a damp light cloth or a sheet of plastic wrap and set in a warm, draft-free area for 1 hour. (If you are using regular instant dry yeast, let the dough rise for 3 to 3-1/2 hours).
- Coat a large piece of parchment paper with cooking spray and set aside.
- Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and using a bench scraper or oiled hands, fold the dough over several times to form a large mound.
- Lift the mound of dough and place on the center of the parchment paper, seam side down.
- Using the parchment paper as a sling, lift the dough and set it, and the parchment paper into the bowl. This will help keep its shape during the final rise.
- Cover the bowl and return it to the draft-free area and let rise for 15 to 30 minutes (rise time will be 1 hour if you use regular instant yeast).
- While the dough is rising, place a 6-quart Dutch oven in the cold oven and set the oven temperature at 450°F and let it heat while the bread dough is in the final rise.
- Transfer the heated Dutch oven from the oven and carefully remove the lid.
- Using a sharp knife, scissors or a taser blade, score the bread dough on the top with a slash, (see Notes).
- Carefully lift the dough, together with the parchment paper, and set into the hot Dutch oven. Cover with the lid and return to the oven.
- Bake for 35 minutes, then remove the lid and continue to bake the bread an additional 12-15 minutes until nicely brown and it reaches 200°F when an instant read thermometer is inserted into the center of the bread.
- Transfer the bread to a wire rack and cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.
Notes
- Honey adds a touch of sweetness and it also increases the liquid. Adding the additional 3 tablespoons of flour compensates for the additional liquid.
- Scoring the bread dough on the top is not mandatory but doing so will allow the bread to expand and give it more height. It also adds a nice decorative touch to the finished loaf.
- Dried cranberries are recommended for this recipe I have not tried fresh or frozen cranberries but suspect they will be too soft.
- Keep the lid on the Dutch oven for 35 minutes then remove the lid so the crust does not get too thick.
- Bread baked in a Dutch oven works because the Dutch oven holds the steam in and helps the bread rise better. This produces a lofty loaf with a crackling crust.
- To determine that the bread is cooked completely, tilt the bread on its side and thump the bottom. It should sound hollow. You can further check the temperature with an instant-read thermometer when done it will register 200°F when inserted in the top of the bread.
- We used quick-acting instant yeast in this recipe. It is a sub-category of instant yeast and acts much quicker. You will need to increase the proof time if you use regular instant yeast.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 132kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 2g | Sodium: 268mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 18g