Fig & Walnut
This recipe was designed specifically to be made with Bakers' Magic gluten free flour. The finished baked product will not be the same if you use another gluten free flour and you will need to adjust the recipe, particularly if the flour you're using contains rice flour.
Ingredients
225 g Bakers' Magic Gluten free flour
1 tsp Yeast
3/4 tsp Salt
20 g Brown sugar
50 g Walnuts (to be blended when mixing)
200 ml Warm water*
100 g Dried Figs (moist & roughly chopped)
50 g Walnuts (roughly chopped)
25 g Oil (I use Rice Bran Oil)
Extra Oil
* I use 150 g of water if I am going to slice the bread (photo above) & dry it for crackers.
Method
Warm water is ~1/4 to 1/3 of boiling water with the remaining cold water (tap). Whether you use 1/4 or 1/3 will depend on how cold your tap water is. If the water is too hot it will kill the yeast.
Pre-incubate the yeast at room temperature for approximately 5 - 8 mins in 50 g of warm water containing ~10 g of the brown sugar. Stir the mixture to dissolve the sugar & disperse the yeast. This gives the yeast a readily available food source & they can "revive" in a relatively undisturbed environment. After the allocated time the surface of the yeast mixture should be slightly frothy. This indicates the yeast are viable.
If the yeast mixture has a frothy top or you can see bubbles proceed with bread making.
Are you going to proof the dough in your oven or in another warm spot? If proofing in your oven turn oven to ~50 C for approximately 10 mins then turn it off again.
This bread is shaped & not baked in a loaf (although it can be). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Thermomix
Place all ingredients (excluding 50 g of walnuts & the figs) in the TM bowl (including pre-incubated yeast). Remember you need to add 150 g of water as you will be adding the other 50 g with the pre-incubated yeast.
Mix @ 37o C for 2.5 mins at speed 4.
Ensure all ingredients are incorporated. If not, scrape down the sides and briefly mix again.
Add roughly chopped walnuts & figs to TM bowl. Mix for 1 min on Reverse speed 2.
Stand Mixer
Finely chop 50 g of walnuts or blend them using a stab blender.
Place all ingredients (excluding 50 g of walnuts & the figs) into the mixing bowl (including pre-incubated yeast). Remember you need to add 175 g of water as you will be adding the other 50 g with the pre-incubated yeast.
Combine ingredients using the flat beater until a uniform consistency is achieved. You may need to stop the mixer and scrap down the sides. This make take longer than 5 mins. When the dough is smooth add in the remaining ingredients & mix.
Both Methods
Oil your hands/gloves & part of the baking paper with a little of the extra oil.
Remove dough from the mixer, place it on the oiled part of the baking paper and shape it into a cigar shape with your hands. A long thin shape is best for this bread.
Let the dough proof for approximately 30 mins in a warm moist environment. Turn your oven on to 200 C.
If you are proofing in your oven put on the timer for ~20 mins. When the time is up take the proofing bread out of the oven and turn the oven up to 200 C. The 20 mins is an estimate it will depend on how long it takes your oven to reach 200 C.
Before putting it in the oven ensure that the dough has risen - it won't rise as much as a loaf with a higher hydration percentage.
Bake at 200 C for ~30 mins, the time will vary depending on the individual oven & the shape of your loaf. If your oven has a hot spot turn the bread halfway through baking.
Take out of the oven & cool the bread on a cooling rack.
Ensure the bread is sufficiently cooled before cutting into it.