Cranberry-Walnut Celebration Bread

Name: Cranberry-Walnut Celebration Bread
Yield: makes 1 large braided loaf
Ingredients: 3 cups (13.5 ounces) unbleached bread flour; 3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces) granulated sugar; 3/4 teaspoon (.19 ounce) salt; 3 1/2 teaspoons (.39 ounce) instant yeast; 1 1/2 tablespoons (.75 ounce) orange or lemon extract; 2 large (3.3 ounces) eggs, slightly beaten; 1/2 cup (4 ounces) buttermilk or any kind of milk, at room temperature; 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter, melted; 1/4 to 1/2 cup (2 to 4 ounces) water, at room temperature; 1 1/2 cups (9 ounces) dried sweetened cranberries; 3/4 cup (3 ounces) coarsely chopped walnuts; 1 egg, whisked until frothy, for egg wash

January 26, 2012

I’ve long believed that the connecting link in any Thanksgiving dinner is the cranberry relish. It ties all the other flavors together, its juices running in all directions on the plate, blending with the gravy, potatoes, and the dressing, and finally, enlivening the turkey itself with its sweet-and-sour flavor tones. Of course, it has to be good cranberry relish, with coarsely chopped berries, walnuts, and orange juice, not just the canned jelly slices. This bread captures those flavors and can be used to supplement the relish (which always seems to run out before I’ve had my fill). It also makes a beautiful table presentation, with its double-decker braiding, evocative of a traditional celebration challah (page 133).

Recipe notes

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