Weather: 50 degrees, bright blue sky
What I’m listening to: Nuvole Bianche, Ludovico Einaudi
I’m not sure there’s a smell I like better in the world than the smell of homemade bread baking in the oven. It reminds me of helping my grandmother in the kitchen when I was a preschooler, standing on my stool and helping hand-knead the dough on the countertop. And, when I was making this bread, my four-year-old daughter wanted to sit on the counter and help me. Of course, helping me also means sneaking samples of the dough, just like I used to do so many years ago.
I converted this recipe from European measurements, and with a few slight adaptations, was extremely pleased with the results. It’s a tender wheat bread, sweetened with pure maple syrup, and bursting with texture from the nuts, seeds, and fruit in the trail mix.
It bakes up just beautifully. I wonder if there’s anyone in the world as incapable of waiting to slice into a loaf of bread until it’s cool as I am? No matter how many times I try to convince myself to wait because it will slice better when it’s cool, I can’t do it. Tragically flawed, I am. There’s nothing like bread hot from the oven with a little bit of butter.
Maple Trail Mix Bread
Adapted from [Vintage Trinkets/Foodagraphy|http://vintagetrinkets.blogspot.com/2012/02/maple-wheat-bread.html]
Yields: 1 loaf
- 1-1/2c warm water
- 1T yeast
- 3T honey
- 2-1/4c flour
- 1-1/2c wheat flour
- 2t salt
- 1/3c pure maple syrup
- 2T butter, melted
- 1/2c trail mix (I recommend a mix w/o chocolate or candy pieces)
In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together water, yeast, and honey. Let stand 10 minutes.
With dough hook attachment, turn mixer to low speed, and incorporate flours and salt. Then pour in the maple syrup and butter. If dough is too sticky, add more flour by the tablespoon until a soft dough forms. Add trail mix.
Knead dough in stand mixer, on low, for 15-20 minutes.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 2 minutes by hand, or until smooth and elastic. Oil the mixing bowl and place dough back in. Cover with a kitchen towel and allow to rise in a warm place (like the oven with the oven light on) for 2-3 hours, or until doubled.
Grease a loaf pan. Punch dough down and shape into a loaf. Place dough into greased loaf pan. Cover with towel and allow to rise again, 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 (if you have your bread rising in the oven, be sure to remove it before preheating your oven). Bake 30-40 minutes until bread is browned and sounds hollow when tapped on top.
Turn out of pan and cool on a cooling rack. Slice and serve. Store in a plastic bag.
