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I have been cooking my way through Ottolenghi’s breads and pastries in Yotam Ottolenghi’s cookbook, Ottolenghi. This Sour Cherry and Walnut Stick definitely broadened by bread making experience. I used a new type of flour, buckwheat flour, that I have not worked with previously. I also used a new ingredient, tart dried cherries, which actually inspired my own new creation that will be coming soon on my blog. Overall, the Sour Cherry and Walnut Stick was better than I anticipated.
Anyone who has read my blog knows I love bread making. This past fall I participated in a local fair and sold some of my own bread. Several people asked if I baked artisanal bread which I had not really baked much artisanal bread before. I decided to start expanding my bread making capabilities. I am thinking about taking bread making classes to learn more about the craft. Here is one of the classes I have looked into taking on Bluprint, formerly Craftsy. I have taken one of the knife skills classes, and I was really impressed. I learned tips that I still use today.
Preparation
One of the challenges I faced was finding the flour and the cherries. I searched everywhere when it actually was not necessary. I found everything I needed at a local natural food store, Ozark Natural Foods. Ozark Natural Foods had a plethora of unique flours and dried fruit, and it will be my first top next time I am in the market.
Preparation of the Sour Cherry and Walnut stick was relatively quick and easy. This is not a bread that has to set and rise for over 24 hours. There is no waiting period. You can prepare and enjoy the same day! Like many of Ottolenghi’s recipes, I encourage anyone to follow his method and be patient. As the dough is mixing, it does not appear it will come together like it should, but it will. When hand kneading the walnuts and cherries, they kept falling out and I thought they are never going to be incorporated. I kept going and it did work out.
Results
I like my bread to be pretty. This was my first attempt at Ottolenghi’s Sour Cherry and Walnut Stick bread, and although it was tasty, it was not pretty. It definitely could have been my bread shaping which I will admit I had trouble following the directions for the shaping. I find after making a bread recipes several times that I tend to get better a grasp at shaping the bread. There are two kitchen items that I invested in specifically for bread making that helped tremendously, a baker’s lame and a French bread pan. I prefer a French baguette pan like the Baguette/French Bread Pan 16 Gauge Perforated Aluminum- 5 Long, Mold size: 3″ x 26″
from: Kerekes kitchen & Restaurant Supplies
This baguette pans allow you make several loaves at one time. I use it every time I make French bread or any baguette shaped bread. My bakers lame is my absolute favorite tool for bread making. It allows you to score your bread without tearing or deflating it during the process. It is inexpensive and definitely worth having if you are making bread. I prefer a nice sturdy one like the Paderno Bakers Blade Lame, Plastic with Stainless Steel Blade – $10.20
from: Kerekes kitchen & Restaurant Supplies
The flavor of the Sour Cherry and Walnut stick was fruity and nutty. It had a nice fresh flavor one would anticipate with an artisanal bread. It is a delicious snack bread. The loaves are not large but rather small. We finished them off in no time. I am not fond of putting nuts in anything, but I did enjoy this bread. Read about my other adventures baking Ottolenghi Breads in Crusty Italian & Focaccia and Brioche. Enjoy!
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