Monday, October 1, 2012

Pumpkin Cranberry Walnut Bread


After missing last month's Whole Wheat Loaves, I made an extra special point to make time this past weekend to make this next recipe for the Tuesdays with Dorie/ Baking With Julia group.  I knew the recipe was going to take two days to make, so I penciled in a bit of time on Saturday and then a tiny bit of time on Sunday. This recipe involved a lot of waiting and timing, somewhat reminiscent of the Pecan Sticky Buns a few months back.

So on Saturday I set about making the dough.  My son and husband are about to leave on an adventure, and Rhiannon is taking a nice nap.   I read through the ingredient list again and realize the cranberries need to be thawed.  Out come the frozen cranberries from the freezer onto the sunny table to thaw.  And the walnuts need to be toasted.  Into the oven go the walnuts.   And the butter needs to be room temperature.  All butter frozen, deeply.  No microwave, just a sunny table.   Out comes the phone.  Call my parents (they live a mile away).  Load up Rhiannon.  Nuke my butter.  Back to my house, ready.  Sift the dry ingredients, start the yeast, cream the sugar and butter.   Ready to add the room temperature egg....     Go to fridge, no eggs.   Run over to neighbor's house, no eggs.  Neighbor bikes over to store for 6 eggs (he gets one of these mini-loaves).  Get egg.  Make dough.   No mixer.  Ask friend for mixer.  Miss her text.  Knead by hand (sticky!!!).   Cover, let rise.  Fold over.  Let rise in fridge. Sleep.









Sunday goes much better.  I remember to set out the dough in the morning.  I shape the loaves around noon.  Let them rise a bit longer than 2 hours.  Put them in the oven for 30 minutes.  Let them rest for 5 minutes and cool the rest of the time on the rack.

And today we ate them.  And they were worth it.

Check out Rebecca's post for the recipe, complete with all the ingredient specifications should you choose to read them ahead of time.



And here is Rhiannon, trying to walk...








18 comments:

  1. I am impressed that you made these loaves by hand. My dough was so sticky, I hardley touched it. Your loaf looks beautiful.

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  2. My Kitchen Aid did all the work--congrats on kneading by hand. These loaves were delicious and your little gal is beautiful. Have a great day.

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    1. Do you love your kitchen aid?--- I've been debating for years.

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  3. Oh.. it was very sticky dough.. I made it by hand too!!! I enjoyed it.. just wish it did not take that much time..

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    1. Glad to hear someone else braved the hand mixing- I had to add quite a bit of extra flour too just to make it work. But it worked out!

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  4. Wow! You are dedicated! Good job doing it by hand, too. It is a yummy bread, isn't it? It looks great.

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    1. Such a yummy bread- it had to be after all that!

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  5. Rhiannon is totally cute! Congratulations on your masterpiece, she's a little princess!

    As for the bread, it looks wonderful. Make sure you don't miss the whole wheat recipe: it's worth and it's quick...especially quick!

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    1. I will definitely make the whole wheat loaves on our make up week- glad to hear it is quick!

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  6. I also did mine by hand and boy was it ever sticky!

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  7. Wow - sounds like quite the adventure - but that's what I love about making bread; it can be worked in to almost any schedule

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  8. I so admire the baker that nothing stops them. The butter - I would have let thawed, eggs? I would have put everything away and start another day. Kudos to you!

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    1. I thought about it many times but it did all come together, somehow?!

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  9. Oh my gosh, you went through so much to make this happen! Good job! Blessings, Catherine www.praycookblog.com

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    1. Thank goodness we had a treat at the end of it all!

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