Walnut Cranberry Grain Loaf

Recipe by California Walnut Board

Ingredients

Sponge Starter: 1cup bread flour; 1/4cup white rye flour; 1/2package fresh yeast; 2/3cup water – lukewarm
Loaf: 1package fresh yeast; 1/2cup water – lukewarm; 1/3cup apple cider – lukewarm; 1-- egg; 1/2cup bread flour; 1teaspoon salt; 1cup whole wheat flour; 1/3cup white rye flour; 1-1/2cup California walnuts, roughly chopped; 1cup dried cranberries; 1teaspoon orange zest

Sponge Starter:

In a mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water. Add flours and mix for 5 minutes on slow speed with a dough hook. Let rise for one hour.

Loaf:

In a bowl, dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water. Add the apple cider, egg, salt, flours and sponge starter and mix the dough 6 to 8 minutes on medium speed until fully developed.
Add the walnuts, cranberries and orange zest and mix on slow speed until fully incorporated. Let the dough rise to double in volume, then punch it down and divide the dough into 2 even pieces.
Preheat the oven to 400F.
Form each piece of dough into a greased loaf pan. Let the dough rise to its maximum volume, about double in size. Place the loaves in the oven and bake until golden brown and a good crust is formed, approximately 25 minutes. Remove from the pans and let cool on a rack.

Yield: 2 loaves (8 slices per loaf, 16 slices total; serving=1 slice)