The “and bread” bit has been sadly lacking on my blog over these past couple of months. I’ve still been making plenty, mostly white and spelt loaves, with the occasional ciabatta or bere bannock. I just haven’t been exploring many new types. However, one of my more recent discoveries definitley deserves a post. Dan Steven’s recipe for Walnut and Honey Soda Bread is quick and easy to make, and tastes utterly delicious. It has become a regular weekend fixture. Personally I love it with cheese and chutney – my own Green Tomato Chutney, of course – but the rest of the household claim it is better than a “normal” scone as a vehicle for clotted cream and jam. They are a strange lot. Anyway, this is quick and easy, and if you stick to savoury, healthy too.
200g honey (I tend to use runny, but set is fine too)
200g walnuts
500g plain wholemeal flour (not bread flour)
10g salt
4 tsp baking powder
300ml water
- Preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6/390F.
- Soften the honey in a pan over gentle heat.
- Use a pestle and mortar to crush half the walnuts into a fine powder, and the other half very coarsely. The combination gives a good flavour and texture.
- Combine the flour, salt, baking powder and walnuts in a bowl.
- Add the honey and water (I tend to stir the water into the honey to help clean the pan out) to the dry ingredients and combine.
- Knead briefly, just enough to create a firm dough.
- Divide the dough into two and shape into rough rounds. Flatten to about 5cm thick and score with a knife almost all the way through to create the typical sourdough cross.
- Put on a floured baking tray (or use a tray liner – this bread tends to stick) and bake for 25-30 minutes, until loaves are golden and they sound hollow when you tap them on the base.
- Leave to cool on a wire rack – if you have the strength of mind!
Permalink
Hooray! I love your baking ideas, so I’m glad you are back onto the baking theme. I reckon this would be good with my pickled pears too.
Permalink
Oooh, yes, that does sound like a good combination, perhaps with a large chunk of strong cheddar…
Permalink
One I will have to make. Thanks for the recipe. Yesterday I made pumpkin bread, well actually 6 of them.
Permalink
Six?! Goodness… I imagine pumpkin makes a lovely moist bread too.
Permalink
Hi Janet,
It does look very delicious and I can imagine is amazing with cheese and chutney as you suggest!
Permalink
Hi Liz, and it is so easy too, that or the bere bannocks have become what I make when we suddenly run low on bread around lunchtime.
Permalink
Oh, never mind healthy! Go for bread with jam and cream, sounds yummy! Or maybe just lashings of butter! This is a book that I’ve just invested in, makes bread making less hit and miss. Pleased to know that this recipe is one that works well and is a favourite with you – don’t think it would last long here either!
Permalink
Hi Caro, I think you would fit in to this household very nicely! The book is great, the only recipe I have had any problems with so far is the tortilla one, and that is just about getting the pan to exactly the right temperature. His pizza base is perfect…
Permalink
Oh my! I think I’m going to enjoy your bread posts as much as your planting posts! That looks wonderfully delicious. I wish I could stop over for a slice!
Permalink
Sorry, none left! But it is so easy you could always make your own and just think of me as you munch?!
Permalink
That bread looks absolutely delish! I’m rubbish at baking/cooking but, I just might give your recipe a try x
Permalink
Hi Karen, it is honestly so easy I bet you could do it – let me know how you get on?
Permalink
Oh my – definitely the staff of life.
Permalink
Very yummy.
Permalink
Home made bread yummy. Always reminds me of when we met the family of our eldest daughters husband to be. Whilst out for a meal feeling a little awkward as you do on these occasions the conversation for whatever reason got on to bread making. My future son in laws brother took great delight in telling us that my daughters husband to be had a bread making machine which he made good use of. Well he took it in great fun but was being wound up in good humour for the whole evening.
Permalink
Hi Alistair, I think break making machines are great, perfect for busy people and can turn out really yummy loaves too. We gave ours to a brother-in-law, and now I love the whole mix, knead, shape, bake process – there are three white loaves in the oven as I type. The worst thing is trying to stop oneself from eating way too much when it is fresh out of the oven and the crust is perfectly crisp…
Permalink
Perfect timing Janet, I have some walnuts from the tree in the garden and a friend gave me some too. I’ll try it, it sounds delicious. Christina
Permalink
Oh, no I am jealous, your own walnuts! Let me know how you get on, and whether you go the sweet or savoury route!
Permalink
oh I love bread. This recipe caught my eye because of the wholemeal flour. Not sure what that is but it sounds reasonable healthy. Must have a look at the grocers to see if they have it.
Permalink
Absolutely, much healthier than white, as much less processed and much more roughage. Good luck on your flour hunt!
Permalink
Haha, when I saw the title of the post I thought ‘Boy, I haven’t been making my rounds very well, I must have missed a lot of bread postings.’ Then I read your first sentence….looks yummy. Glad you are enjoying your fresh bread with your lovely tomato chutney.
Permalink
Lol! Yes this recipe was a real find, and so easy too.
Permalink
Oh YUM!
I wasn’t starving before…
Permalink
Sorry…
Permalink
I love soda bread. We often ut honey in it but will try some walnuts as well next time.
Permalink
It’s yummy, isn’t it, and so good for when you suddenly fancy some bread and haven’t time to make “proper” loaves.
Permalink
That looks so yummy Janet! I wonder what it tastes like with lentil soup? One way of knowing is by trying…soon :)
Permalink
Grand idea, I shall have to try that.
Permalink
That sounds and looks wonderful. I’m glad that I have had my lunch! Will definitely give that a try one of these days… thanks for sharing the recipe.
S
Permalink
It’s well worth a go Sara, that perfect combination of easy and delicious.
Permalink
Breads back again yay! I love oohing and ahhhing over bread, hate cakes, therefore your bread blogs have been sadly missed. I stick my nose unto the screen and hope for some kind of fiendish bread trasmogfrication through the ether to my home…………..
:)
Permalink
It was about time, wasn’t it! I have a new pan that makes even better bere bannocks, which is making me very happy. Screen-enabled bread transmogrification sounds slightly scary…
Permalink
Good to see another one of your bread recipes Janet though I am sure that I put weight on just by looking at the screen. Now that looks delicious and would have gone nicely with your celeriac soup I would imagine. Recipe looks quite simple too so I may well be tempted to give it a whirl.
Permalink
Hi Anna, do give it a whirl, I need someone to join me in the expanding waistline department, which is the major downside of discovering new and tasty bread recipes…