Fruit & Nut Loaf
I used my basic 1-2-3 quick bread recipe to create a fruit and nut loaf today. I stuck with the usual 3 cups flour, 2 tsp yeast, and 1 tsp of salt, added in some spice, nuts, and fruit. When I envisioned this I thought I had dried cranberries but my son has taken to snacking on those. I was left with dried apricots, prunes, and two types of raisins. I opted to leave out the prunes and go with apricot, golden raisins, and black raisins. Of the many types of nuts on hand, I thought cashew, pistachio, and pecan would complement the fruit. For spice I relied on cardamom and fennel and used an herbal tea bag for a little extra flavor. I can't say the tea really added much but I was disappointed with the tea flavor and was trying to use the remaining supply.
STEEP
Steep ¼ TSP fennel seeds in ¼ cup boiling water. I slightly crushed them first. While I removed them from the water later, I think the bread would have benefitted from keeping the fennel seeds in the dough.
Steep one herbal tea blend tea bag in ½ cup boiling water. I used Tangerine Orange Zinger Celestial Seasonings. This is optional.
CHOP AND CRUSH
¾ cup mixed dried fruit: chopped apricots, raisins, golden raisins
DRY INGREDIENTS
¾ cup mixed slightly crushed nuts: cashews, pistachios, pecans
Measure and mix together
3 Cups Bread flour: AP flour works fine
1 TSP Salt: I use basic table salt
2 TSP Yeast: I use Red Star Active Dry Yeast
1 TSP Cardamom Powder
1 TBSP Sugar
Add in the fruit and nuts.
Stir well.
LIQUID
Cool both the tea and fennel seeds until very warm then strain the seeds and squeeze the tea bag into the water. Add the combined ¾ cup of fennel and orange tea water to enough water (hottest tap) to equal 1 ½ cups of fluid.
Stir the water into the dry mix until wet. This is a no knead dough. I use a dinner fork and it works fine to mix together.
RISE, SHAPE, RISE then BAKE
Cover for an hour.
Turn out onto a floured surface. Gather into a ball, folding it in a couple of times. But no major kneading, just shaping. Line a bowl with an overlapping amount of parchment paper. Place the loaf into the parchment lined bowl. Let rise at least 30 minutes until the loaf has doubled in size. This took about 30 minutes. At about 15 minutes into the rise time I placed my covered enamel Dutch oven in the cold oven and pre-heated it to 450F.
About 15 minutes after the oven had warmed up I lifted the dough ball with the parchment paper and placed it in the Dutch oven. I placed the lid on it and baked it for 30 minutes at 450F.
After 30 minutes, I removed the lid and let the bread continue to cook another 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and serve.
AFTERTHOUGHTS
It was very flavorful and loaded with nuts and fruit in every bite.
The contrast between the crumb and the crust was just right.
I could double the fennel seeds and leave them in to add to the flavor.
I could also double the cardamom.
I wonder if an extra 1/2 TSP of salt would work.
My first slice has been with vegan butter but I think the fig jam or even the peach preserves would pair well.
I avoid raisins as a rule deeming them the spawn of Satan's pet, little bunny Foo-Foo's poo-poo, and the destroyer of cookies and cakes. But I had them so I used them and was surprised to find I've adjusted my tastes and the tongue feel is no longer off putting. I guess this means I am officially old, huh? I mean I did hold off on using the prunes as they are medicinal nowadays.
