Fig and walnut bread

This fig and walnut bread is a tasty white loaf with a twist. It’s easy to make and the fruity and nutty bites make it into a slightly special everyday bread.

I often think I don’t make bread anything like as much as I should. We tend to go up and down in how much we use and we’re not quite such big bread eaters that we will get through a loaf in one day, so I kind of have to know we will eat it a couple days in a row.

Plus, there’s the planning part of it – you have to think about it a little bit with resting time which is not always my strong point. Added to that, while our house isn’t big, it is a bit old and drafty and rising can be tricky.

Now, though, I have adopted a bit of a cheat to get my dough to rise: I use the oven. Not on properly, but I tend to put the oven on either on the broiler, or on low a short while, or else make bread a little after using the oven for something else then use the slightly warm oven as my rising home. It works wonders – a good rise and usually quicker too.

Figgy memories

I have distinct memories of the smell of fresh figs hanging from trees in France when I was a teenager. We went to visit my sister who was living there at the time and went to Carcassonne, a medieval walled town in the South.

As we were walking around, fig trees hung over the path and the smell was so good. Even better was getting to try some in the market. I now get figs when I can to snack on and add to recipes like my roasted pear and fig scones or prosciutto, goats cheese and balsamic fig croissant.

Sadly, while figs can apparently be harvested up to four times a year, the season is still limited and they don’t keep all that long. But while they taste a little different, dried figs are still a great ingredient to work with.

They’re a key part of a good old British Christmas pudding, and other dishes, and they work so well in this bread.

How to make fig and walnut bread

This isn’t exactly a no-knead bread as such, but it definitely doesn’t need a lot of kneading and comes together very easily.

• Mix together the dough ingredients.
• Add the figs and walnuts and ensure they are well distributed.
• Knead briefly then leave it to rise and double in size.
• Knock back the dough and form it into a loaf.
• Give it another short rise before baking in a hot oven until golden brown.

This fig and walnut bread is a tasty twist on a simple loaf, but those small additions really make this bread that bit special, while still being perfect for everyday. Use it in sandwiches, dip it in oil and vinegar, or eat it as a snack as we did. Whichever way, enjoy.

Try these other homemade bread recipes:

• Sourdough rye bread (with a great gentle rye flavor)
• Twisted bread with peppers, spinach and parmesan (great as a festive centerpiece!)
• Japanese milk bread (so soft and fluffy)

See the other fig recipes for today’s Foodie Extravaganza:

• Fig/Anjeer Milk Shake by Sneha’s Recipe
• Fig and Blue Cheese Tarts by Food Lust People Love
• Sourdough Barley Bread with Figs and Pecans by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Steamed Figgy Pudding by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Warm Potato Salad with Tea-Steeped Figs by Culinary Adventures with Camilla

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