Sam's Kitchen

Made with honey sweetened dough, walnuts, coconut blossom sugar, more honey  and a touch of cardamon spice this bread was delicious and went just fantabulously with my afternoon tea!

I added ground turmeric into my dough mixture to give it a beautiful citrine shade and a mild flavour of the Middle East and India. Besides the lovely colour and a piquant taste, turmeric carries many wonderful healing properties. I use this spice frequently in many of my recipes for the above-mentioned reasons.

This is a fairly large bread, as it happens I’m never able to make small bread. I love eating bread and so do my kids so big breads are never going to waste here only to waist 😉 mine that is!

Perfect for afternoon or morning tea 🙂

Soft and delicious

And my every afternoon tea ritual 🙂

My little assistant busy making his version of the berad 😉

Little hands hard at work!

Ingredients

For the dough

3 1/2 cup ( 500g ) unbleached bakers flour and extra for kneading
1 sachet ( 7g ) instant yeast
1 cup water
1/2 cup milk
50g butter
1/4 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp honey

1 egg for brushing

For the walnut mixture

120g walnuts
2 tbsp coconut blossom sugar or brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground cardamon
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp butter

Method

Place milk and butter into a microwave safe bowl, microwave for 1 minute or till butter has melted. Mix in the honey and turmeric, stir well, then add water and yeast.

Sieve the flour into a bowl of a stand mixer or any other large bowl. Make a well, add milk and water mixture in and knead into a dough. Continue kneading for 3-5 minutes.
The dough has to be soft, if it’s too sticky add more flour, but very little at a time.
I try to keep my dough soft as it gives a nicer textured bread.
Knead the dough into a ball and place into a lightly oiled bowl, cover and leave to double in size for 1-2 hours. It’s summer here in Australia and my dough has doubled in size in less than an hour.

In the meantime while you are waiting for the dough to raise prepare a walnut mixture. Place walnuts into a food processor and process till finely ground. Move into a bowl and mix with the 2 tablespoons of coconut blossom sugar.
In a separate bowl mix honey and softened ( not melted ) butter till forms a smooth paste.

Once your dough has doubled in size punch it down and lightly knead into a  ball.
Move the dough on lightly floured work bench. Roll out into a 55x40cm rectangle. Spread honey and butter mixture using the back of a spoon, then sprinkle with walnut and coconut blossom sugar. Roll into a roll. Move on top of prepared baking paper, that will make it easy to move it without hassle on a baking tray. Cut in half diagonally and braid by placing one-half on top of another and so on. As you braid the halves, keep them cut side up as much as possible. Bring both ends together creating a circle, tuck one end under another.
Carefully slide by pulling the ends of baking paper on a baking tray. Leave to rise in a warm place for 30-45 min.

Preheat oven to 180C fan forced.
Lightly beat an egg in a bowl.
Brush bread with an egg and bake for 35-40 minutes. If browns too fast cover with another piece of baking paper or foil. Remove from oven and cool. Can be enjoyed while still warm :). Happy Baking!

Roll into 55x40cm rectangle

Spread the honey and butter mixture with the back of a spoon

Sprinkle evenly with walnuts and coconut blossom sugar

Roll into a roll and move on top of prepared baking paper

Cut in half diagonally

Braid by placing one-half on top of another and so on

Bring both ends together creating a circle

Slide on a baking tray. Let to raise, then brush with a lightly beaten egg.

Bake for 35-40 minutes

Remove from oven and cool

Soft and delicious 🙂