Hearty Morning Bread
When the days grow shorter and I wake up to chilly, dark mornings, I love reaching for a hot cup of coffee and a thick slice of toasted homemade bread with butter. Much of the autumn and winter months are spent huddled in front of my computer or my loom, designing and weaving during the precious hours of daylight and by the light of the lamps in my studio when the sun sets. These are the days when I reach for cozy recipes that are hearty, filling, and nourishing, with minimal complex flavors and enough texture to intrigue. Whether that’s a thick beef stew full of potatoes and carrots, a tray of sweet roasted vegetables and squash, or a comforting loaf of morning bread, I try to focus on cooking meals that will satisfy and bring me (and maybe a friend) some joy in the dark months.
While looking for another recipe recently, I came across this No-Knead Cranberry Walnut Bread with Honey by The Busy Baker. I unfortunately didn’t have a few ingredients (namely, the dried cranberries and honey) on hand, and I’m not one to rush out to the store to buy ingredients I don’t have for a specific recipe, so I quickly realized this would be a No-Knead Raisin Walnut Bread with Maple Syrup instead. Just what I wanted!
The recipe calls for 12-18 hours of rise time (preferably overnight), but I didn’t want to wait around for it so I decided to use 2 1/2 tsps of active dry yeast for a much shorter rise time. I also substituted equal amounts of raisins and maple syrup for the dried cranberries and honey. The result? A delicious bread that I honestly can’t stop eating. Once cooled, I like to cut round loaves in half down the middle, mostly to admire the crumb, and then cut slices from the halves. Thick slices. This bread is really amazing and satisfying on its own, but benefits from a few minutes in the toaster with lots of butter slathered on top and eaten with a hot cup of coffee. It’s hearty, mildly sweet, and would make a great breakfast with natural peanut butter instead of butter. I plan to try it with half whole wheat flour next time to get more grains!
I can remember a time when I only preferred enriched breads, very sweet foods, and absolutely nothing with nuts in it. My palate didn’t appreciate the homely goodness of a hearty bread. Now I crave Irish soda bread, oat bread with blackberries, and yes, raisin walnut bread. As I grow older, it becomes easier to feel what my body needs for nourishment – my mom always said that our bodies know what they need for food, and that’s why we crave certain foods sometimes. Of course, that’s not the best rule of thumb to follow when I’m craving jelly donuts, but one of those every now and then can only be beneficial, right?
What are you baking lately? Do you plan to try this recipe? Are there any foods you used to dislike but have since come to appreciate? Share in the comments!
