Walnut Bread, by Jacqueline Brown

COMPLIMENTS Jacqueline Brown of THE FRENCH VILLAGE DIARIES

I keep teasing those of you who follow my Facebook page with photos of my walnut bread in various stages of rising and baked, so as requested here is the recipe so you can try it for yourself.  Please feel free to substitute the walnuts for your preferred nut or seed!

½ teaspoon of dried yeast

300g strong white bread flour

1 teaspoon of salt

1 tablespoon of olive oil

170 ml of water

50g of shelled and chopped walnuts (they do taste better if you toast them first)

Combine the flour, yeast, salt and walnuts in a mixing bowl.  Make a well in the middle and add the olive oil and warmed water.  Bring together to form a dough, then turn onto a floured surface and knead for about ten minutes until smooth and elastic.  Form into a ball shape and place in a greased bowl or cake tin, cover with cling film and a towel and leave to rise for at least an hour.  Pre heat the oven to gas mark 6 (200c) and when risen nicely cook for about 30 minutes, or until golden on top and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom!  Sorry to be vague, but my oven is a little temperamental!  This bread is perfect with homemade jam.

Jam Straws

Jam Straws

1 package puff pastry (2 sheets)

1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

Flour for dusting

Powdered sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment and set aside.

Allow puff pastry to thaw as directed on the package.  Dust work surface with flour and lightly dust rolling pin with flour. Roll out puff pastry until about 2" larger on each side.  Cut crosswise into two rectangles. 

Heat 1/4 cup of jam in microwave for15-20 seconds, just enough to loosen the consistency. 

With a pastry brush, coat one piece of puff pastry with half the jam.  Cover jam-coated piece with the remaining plain piece of puff pastry and gently roll together with rolling pin - not too hard, or your jam will squish out.

Slice into long strips and twist, then place on parchment lined pan.   Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Let cool before removing from the pan.  Sprinkle generously with powdered sugar.

Repeat process with second sheet of puff pastry.

Very pretty served in colorful paper cones