Whole Wheat Bread with Hazelnuts and Cranberries

There are too many things to do. I don’t care who you are. There are just too many things to do. I’ve begun to understand that getting things done is really a matter of making good decisions. Decisions about what things to buckle down and do.

I finally decided to get this bread made when I realized I might not have much more time to use the fresh sage that’s still growing in a pot on my porch. I loved the idea of combining nuts, dried fruit, and fresh herbs in bread (raisins and rosemary go really well in this bread). I was a bit concerned, however, about the 100% whole-wheat-ness of the original recipe. I’ve always held on to at least a bit of white flour when baking bread, just because of my preference for its texture.

 

There was an entire 5-pound bag of white whole wheat flour (whole wheat flour from a lighter-colored variety of wheat) in my pantry, though, and I can’t remember what I was planning on using it for, so I took the leap and tried the white whole wheat in the bread, and left out the refined white flour. I was still a little worried, because I had tried white whole wheat flour before and found it disappointed. I think whole-grain proponents have been pushing that variety as if it could fool you into thinking it’s white flour, but really, it acts like whole wheat flour when baking. For this reason, I added a hefty dose of vital gluten to my bread. I need my bread to be like bread, not like crumbly bricks.

The 100% whole wheat-ness of the final result was pleasant and did not detract from the delicious flavors of good hazelnuts and hazelnut oil and cranberries, as well as the haunting lilt of the fresh sage. I made the dough into two small round loaves, enjoying it on its own or alongside a soup or stew, rather than as a sandwich bread, although I think it would be delicious as the platform for tartines or crostini. It’s great all by itself, though, and I love the combination of the nutty whole wheat, hazelnuts, sage, and sweet-tart cranberries.

I’m glad I decided to make this bread, and I’m glad I decided to try white whole wheat flour again. Never mind that I didn’t have any regular whole wheat flour to play with anyway. I was happy to have one less decision to make, so I could get something delicious done.

Hazelnut Cranberry Bread with Sage

Based on a recipe in Vegetarian Times magazine

I managed to find toasted and skinned hazelnuts in the store, but you can use the method in this post to toast and skin raw nuts if you wish.

1 ¼ cup warm water (about 100 F)

2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 envelope)

2 tablespoons brown sugar

3 tablespoons hazelnut oil

3 ½ cups white whole wheat flour, divided

2 tablespoons vital gluten flour

1 ½ teaspoon fine salt

¾ cup chopped hazelnuts, preferably toasted and skinned

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage

¾ cup dried cranberries

1. In the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer (or another large bowl), combine the water, yeast and brown sugar. Let stand about 5 minutes, or until the yeast appears foamy.

2. Add the hazelnut oil, 2 cups white whole wheat flour, and gluten. Mix at low speed using the paddle attachment for the mixer (or stir together if working by hand) to form a batter. Cover the bowl with a towel and let stand about 30 minutes.

3. After 30 minutes the batter should have puffed up from the activity of the yeast. Add the salt and about ½ cup flour. Begin kneading using the dough hook for the mixer. Continue kneading, adding as much of the remaining flour as you can while still keeping the dough smooth and stretchy. (If working by hand, stir in as much of the flour as you can, then turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead in enough flour to make a smooth, elastic dough). The kneading process (whether by machine or by hand) should take about 10 minutes and result in a stretchy but smooth dough.

4. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and work in the hazelnuts, sage and cranberries.

5. Shape the dough into a ball. Spray a large bowl with nonstick cooking spray (or grease it with oil or butter). Place the dough in the greased bowl. Spray or grease the top of the dough ball. Place a sheet of plastic wrap on top of the dough. Cover all with a towel and let stand about 1 hour, or until the dough has roughly doubled in size.

6. Gently deflate the risen dough and shape it into a ball again. Cover and let stand about 5 minutes. Prepare a baking sheet by greasing it, or covering it with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Divide the dough in half and shape it into two balls. Cover and let stand about 1 hour, or until the dough has roughly doubled in size.

7. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Slash the dough balls across the top with a sharp knife.

8. Bake at 375 F for about 35 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and crusty on the outside, and tests done on the inside (it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom, or a thermometer probe inserted in the bread reads about 200 F.) Cool completely on a wire rack.

Makes 2 round loaves of about 8-10 slices each.

Other recipes like this one: Rosemary Raisin Rye Bread, Sage and Onion Bread with Cornmeal

One year ago: Pasta with Sausage, Peppers and Olives

Hazelnut Latte Muffins

This recipe is a simple variation on one of my favorites in the archives, these Cappuccino Muffins. Guided once again by The Ultimate Muffin Book, and my love, love, love of hazelnuts and hazelnut flavor in coffee, I made some mighty fine little breakfast cakes.

All that I did was swap out some of the sugar sweetening the original espresso-infused muffins with the hazelnut-flavored syrup I use to sweeten my homemade lattes. I also stirred in some chopped hazelnuts, which I had toasted and skinned ahead of time (and stored in the freezer) using the method outlined in this post.

These muffins are delicious. Delicious! But my absolute, years-long obsession with hazelnut-flavored coffee drinks made this recipe a guaranteed success in my kitchen. Well, I was tempted to see how good the basic formula could still be if I reduced the butter a tad and put in some whole grain flour (probably whole wheat pastry flour), but I’ve had enough training in the realm of experimental science to know that creating too many variables is just asking for trouble. And guaranteed success is something you just don’t mess around with.

Maybe someday I’ll get brave enough to try to make these muffins a little healthier. Until then I’m going to take their yummy hazelnut-espresso-ness in stride, and be pretty content with having cake for breakfast. Muffins are cake. Let’s just get over it.

Hazelnut Latte Muffins

Adapted from The Ultimate Muffin Book by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough

8 tablespoons butter (1 stick)
¾ cup milk (2%, whole or skim will do)
2 tablespoons instant espresso powder

¼ cup hazelnut flavored syrup (such as Torani brand)
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon fine salt
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

¾ cup chopped hazelnuts, toasted and skinned


1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Prepare a 12 cup muffin pan by spraying the cups with cooking spray or lining them with paper liners.

2. Melt the butter and set aside to cool.

3. In a small saucepan, heat the milk just until boiling, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching on the bottom of the pan. You just want to go until there are a few bubbles, not a full boil. Whisk in the instant espresso and hazelnut syrup. Set aside to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.

4. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together to mix well.

5. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the egg and the cooled butter until well combined. Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly to prevent cooking the egg. Whisk in the vanilla extract.

6. Add the egg and milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined and all the dry ingredients are just moistened. Stir in the hazelnuts. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full.

7. Bake at 400 F for about 18 minutes. You can test to make sure the muffins are fully baked by inserting a wooden pick in one. It should come out without any wet batter sticking to it.

8. Remove the muffins from the oven and cool them in the pan on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes. Remove the muffins from the pan and let stand on the wire rack until they are cool enough to eat. Store leftovers in a zip-top plastic bag for a day or two, or freeze, well wrapped, for longer storage.

Makes 12 muffins.

Other recipes like this one: Cappuccino Muffins, Espresso Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

One year ago: Farro and Apple Salad with Craisins

Parsley Hazelnut Pesto

I don’t write very much about the parts of my life outside of what I just cooked or baked. Trust me, it would be extremely boring. But allow me to say just this one thing about the work-week that just ended: it was 11 days long. And a second thing: this is not the first time this has happened to me. And just one thing more: I’m a leeeeetle bit tired!

 

 

 

I regret that the above statements are true and contribute to the paucity of posts in the last fourteen months or so. Luckily, it’s not really that big of a deal to throw some herbs and some toasted nuts in my food processor. This means something fresh and delicious and new can still happen at supper time. This week I got my stuff together enough to toss a parsley and toasted hazelnut pesto with pasta along with some fresh local green beans and scallions and a few cherry tomatoes from my lackluster backyard garden.

 

The parsley-hazelnut pesto here has a greater proportion of nuts than in other pestos I’ve made. I love hazelnuts and had plenty in the freezer (the rest of a bulk bag I got to make this cake), and, since I didn’t even plant basil this year, I was happy to try this slightly different, slightly nuttier take on pesto.

 

This thick sauce is fresh and herbal with just a bit of toasty nuttiness from the hazelnuts, which I prepared as described in this post. It’s also got a bright burst from lemon juice and zest that livens it up. There’s not much to do but plug in the processor and go, and then decide what to toss with the results. Really you can use whatever vegetables you have on hand, but I described how I made my simple supper (which also left plenty of leftovers to provide a few lunches this week) below.

 

I may not be able to post to these pages as much as I would like, and I may not be able try as many new dishes as I’d like, but I still love to do this. I still have a stack of cookbooks and recipe clippings and ideas a mile high and the hopes and dreams of getting to try all of them keep me excited. I’ll keep making messes, and I hope you’ll keep coming along for the ride!!

 

Parsley Hazelnut Pesto

Adapted from Bon Appetit

2 cups parsley leaves and tender stems (preferably flat-leaf parsley)

2/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted and skinned and allowed to cool
finely grated zest of one lemon
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves
½ teaspoon coarse salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil, preferably extra-virgin

1. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine the parsley, hazelnuts, lemon zest and juice, and garlic. Process to form a coarse paste. Stop to scrape the sides once or twice to incorporate everything.

2. With the machine running, gradually add the olive oil through the opening at the top of the machine. Process until smooth, scraping the bowl occasionally. Taste for seasoning and add salt or lemon juice as desired. Serve as you would any pesto sauce. (See recipe suggestion below.)

Makes about 1 cup pesto. Refrigerate leftovers. This pesto will not brown when stored as a basil pesto does.

 

 

Pasta with Parsley Hazelnut Pesto, Green Beans and Cherry Tomatoes

Also adapted from Bon Appetit

This is a recipe only by the most casual definition. Substitutions and adaptations can be made at will.

 

8-10 ounces whole wheat or multigrain short pasta (I used whole wheat rotini)

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped scallions
2 cups coarsely chopped green beans, steamed or blanched
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
About 1 recipe Parsley-Hazelnut Pesto (see above)
grated Parmesan cheese to taste
additional salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook pasta in boiling salted water until it’s done the way you like it. How do you know? Taste it! Drain the pasta and reserve about a cup of the cooking water.

2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the scallions and sauté 3-4 minutes or until just softened. Add the green beans and cook about 1 minute more. Add the cooked pasta and about 2/3 of the pesto and toss to coat. Add some of the reserved pasta water to thin out the pesto. Add more pesto if needed. (It’ll probably depend on how much pasta you cooked.)

3. Stir in the cherry tomatoes and Parmesan cheese to taste. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Serve with more Parmesan.

Makes 4-6 servings.

 

Other recipes like these: Basic Basil Pesto, Radish Leaf and Peanut Pesto, Spinach-Chive Pesto, Pasta with White Beans and Pesto, Pasta with Herbs and Optional Vegetables (method)

One year ago: Turkey Tomatillo Chili, Potato and SauerkrautCakes

Hazelnut Cake

It was my birthday earlier this month. We don’t have to talk about how many I’ve had. For a variety of reasons, I rarely make myself a birthday cake, but this year I had the opportunity to do it. I’m afraid I almost caved in under the pressure of deciding what to bake before I even got out the mixer or turned on the oven. 

One of the best things about being an adult, however, is the capacity to know that you can have something another time if you choose something else today. It wasn’t quite a blindfolded dart-board kind of thing, but I made a quick decision, knowing I can make any other cake any time I want to. I decided on a dense single-layer cake loaded with ground hazelnuts and topped with a chocolate ganache glaze from The Complete Book of Baking published by Pillsbury.

 

 

I didn’t change anything from the original recipe except to add the step of toasting and skinning the hazelnuts (as I described here). Those hazelnuts are ground in a food processor and mixed in with the flour and leavening. They add a rich, toasty sweetness and their delicious, unique flavor to the cake. The batter is moistened only with eggs and butter with no additional liquid (except for a splash of vanilla extract.) The cake is therefore dense and rich enough (and quite caloric), but it also gets a generous layer of chocolate glaze over the top.

 

 

 

This is truly lovely, decadent - and I might add much deserved by the birthday girl – hazelnut heaven. Only true seekers of a hazelnut Nirvana may enter here. That being said, I think this cake could be good with pecans, pistachios or almonds in place of the hazelnuts. You could then play with spices and extracts to make a truly unique and delicious cake.

Sure, this may not be the fluffily-frosted, double-layer or colorfully decorated cake we tend to expect for a celebrating birthdays. I for one am willing to challenge convention. This cake is easier to make anyway and who needs all those pink candles? And if you want one of those birthday cakes, make one, or get someone to make one for you. You can always make this Hazelnut Cake with Chocolate Glaze another day.

 

 

Hazelnut Cake with Chocolate Glaze

Adapted from Pillsbury: The Complete Book of Baking

Since I find hazelnuts to be a fabulous partner with coffee, I served this with a scoop of coffee flavored ice cream.

Hazelnuts are also known as filberts and may be labeled that way at a store near you.

5 ounces hazelnuts, plus a handful more for garnish if desired

½ cup (1 stick) room temperature butter, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, divided
½ cup heavy whipping cream
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (about 1 cup)

 

1. Toast and skin the hazelnuts as described in this post. Set aside to cool.

2. Preheat oven to 350 F. Set aside the allotted handful of nuts for garnish if using. Trace the bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan onto parchment paper. Cut out the traced circle. Grease the pan or spray with cooking spray. Coat the grease or spray evenly with flour by sprinkling some in the pan and gently shuffling it around until all is coated. Place the parchment circle in the bottom of the pan. Grease or spray that as well.

3. Melt the ½ cup butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Set aside to cool somewhat.

4. Place the hazelnuts in a food processor bowl fitted with the steel blade. Process until finely ground.

5. In a medium-size bowl, combine the flour, ground nuts, baking powder and salt. Stir together until well combined. Set aside.

6. In the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer (or in a large bowl if you are using a hand-held mixer) beat the eggs, sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla over medium speed. Continue beating until the mixture is thick and pale yellow. This should take 2-3 minutes.

7. Add the flour mixture and mix well. Continue beating while gradually pouring in the melted butter. Beat until well blended.

8. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared cake pan. Bake at 350 F for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

9. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife along the edge of the pan to loosen the cake. Carefully invert the cake onto a serving plate. Cover with a clean towel and cool 30 minutes.

10. When the cake has cooled, prepare the glaze. In a medium-size saucepan, heat the cream over medium heat just until it begins to boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate chips. Stir until the chips melt completely and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Continue stirring until the butter has melted and the mixture is shiny.

11. Pour the glaze over the cooled cake, allowing some to run down the sides. Chop the reserved toasted hazelnuts (coarsely or finely as desired, or leave them whole). Sprinkle the chopped nuts around the edges of the cake for garnish. Allow the glaze to cool before cutting into the cake.

Makes about 16 servings. This cake freezes well if wrapped in wax paper and stored in a zip-top freezer bag.

Toasting and Skinning Hazelnuts

I love hazelnuts. Heck, I even love the artificial hazelnut flavor in coffee syrups and non-dairy creamers. And it’s a good thing I do love them because getting hazelnuts ready for use in baked goods requires a bit of extra work. They need to be at least lightly toasted so those brown, papery skins can be removed.

 

I made a delicious cake recently, and it was heavily laced with the flavor of hazelnuts. Well, it was laced with the flavor with hazelnuts because it was laced with ground hazelnuts. Before I tell you about that luscious cake, I’ll review the process I use to toast and skin the hazelnuts required for the recipe. It’s not difficult, really. It just requires a little bit of extra time and attention.

I place the hazelnuts I want to toast on a large heavy sheet pan with a rim. I roast them in a preheated oven until they begin to get a little brown and fragrant, and the skin begins to visibly loosen on some of the nuts, usually less than 10 minutes. I then let the nuts cool on the pan for a few minutes.

 

While they’re still warm, I pour the nuts right onto a clean, lint-free dish towel. I like to use the “flour sack” style of towels for this rather than a terry cloth. Next, I rub the nuts with the towel and the skins come off. That’s it.  Some of the skins need a little more work and some won’t come off completely at all. That’s okay.

 

If I’m on my toes, I’ll toast a bunch of hazelnuts ahead of time to have on hand for recipes or for adding to oatmeal or just for eating. Hazelnuts should be held in the freezer for long-term storage, since the oils can spoil relatively quickly. If you’ve done that, you’ll always have a stash ready for baking or sprinkling on salads or just eating as a snack. Of course that cake I mentioned above is reason enough to toast up some hazelnuts. I hope to tell you all about that soon.

 

 

Toasted and Skinned Hazelnuts
1. Preheat oven to 375 F.

2. Place hazelnuts on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake at 375 F until the nuts are just beginning to brown and some of the dark brown skins are beginning to pull away, about 8 minutes. (Watch the nuts carefully, as you want to avoid burning them.) Remove from oven and cool slightly.

3. While still warm, transfer the nuts into a clean dish towel. Rub them vigorously with the towel to remove the skins. Remove the skinned nuts from the pile and continue rubbing the remaining nuts. Some nuts can be rubbed with your fingers to remove more stubborn skins. I find that it is pretty much impossible to get all the skin off of all the nuts. A little of the remaining skin is okay and will not negatively affect your recipe.

  

One year ago: Rosemary Raisin Rye Bread