Baking Great Bread at HomeA Hearty, Lightly Sweet Loaf Bursting with Berries and Toasted Walnuts
IntermediateBlueberry WalnutBread
by Henry Hunter Jr.
Toasted walnuts, bursting blueberries, soft crumb
Rise Time
2-2½ hours
Bake Time
35-40 minutes
Yield
Makes 1 standard loaf, about 12 slices
Perfection is not required
"Some blueberries will burst. That's not a mistake. That's flavor finding its way into every bite."— Henry Hunter Jr.
By Henry Hunter Jr., founder of Crust & Crumb Academy and Baking Great Bread at Home.
Authentic Flavor
Henry Hunter Jr. is the founder of Crust & Crumb Academy and author of multiple baking books. He believes perfection is not required, progress is.
Equipment Needed
Ingredients
The Dough
Mix-Ins
Egg Wash
Pro Tip
Toss the blueberries in a tablespoon of flour before folding them in. This absorbs surface moisture and keeps them from turning your dough into a purple mess during mixing.
Toast the Walnuts
Toasting transforms walnuts from flat and bitter to rich and fragrant. Don't skip this step.
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Toast in the Oven
Spread the walnut halves on a baking sheet in a single layer. Toast at 350F (175C) for 8-10 minutes, shaking the pan once halfway through. They're done when fragrant and slightly darker in color. Let cool completely, then roughly chop.
Pro Tip
Walnuts go from toasted to burned fast. Set a timer and stay close. Once you smell them, they're close to done.
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
Toast Walnuts
Mix the Dough
This is a lightly with just enough sugar, butter, and honey to complement the fruit without turning it into cake.
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Combine Wet Ingredients
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl), combine the warm milk, egg, honey, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Whisk to combine.
Add Dry Ingredients
Add the bread flour, sugar, instant yeast, and salt. Mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms, about 2 minutes.
Knead and Add Butter
Increase to medium speed and knead for 4 minutes. Add the softened butter one tablespoon at a time. Continue kneading for another 5-6 minutes until the dough is smooth, slightly tacky, and pulls cleanly from the bowl. By hand, expect 12-14 minutes total kneading.
Fold in the Blueberries and Walnuts
Toss the blueberries in a tablespoon of flour (taken from your measured amount, not extra). Add the floured blueberries and chopped toasted walnuts to the dough. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds, or fold by hand until evenly distributed. Some blueberries will burst. That's fine. It adds color and flavor to the crumb.
Pro Tip
Don't worry about the dough looking purple in spots. Some blueberries will burst during mixing and that's actually a good thing. You'll get beautiful violet swirls in the finished crumb.
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
Initial Mix
Kneading
First Rise
The dough needs time to develop flavor and structure through .
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Transfer and Cover
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel.
Rise Until Doubled
Let rise at room temperature 75-78F (24-26C) until doubled, about 1½ to 2 hours. Use the : press a floured finger into the dough. If it springs back slowly with a slight indent remaining, it's ready.
⏱ Wait Time
1½-2 hours
Shape the Loaf
A simple loaf pan keeps things straightforward and gives you perfect slicing bread.
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Prepare the Pan
Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan with butter or cooking spray. Line the bottom with a strip of parchment paper for easy release.
Shape into a Log
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently press into a rectangle roughly 8x10 inches. Starting from the short end, roll tightly into a log. Pinch the seam closed and place seam-side down in the prepared pan.
Pro Tip
Be gentle when shaping. You want to keep as many blueberries intact as possible. Aggressive handling will burst them all and you'll lose that beautiful pocket-of-berry effect in the finished bread.
Final Proof
The dough rises in the pan until it crowns about 1 inch above the rim. This is where patience pays off.
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Proof in the Pan
Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap or a clean towel. Let rise at room temperature until the dough crowns about 1 inch (2.5cm) above the rim of the pan, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Apply Egg Wash
Whisk together the egg and milk. Gently brush the top of the loaf with the .
⏱ Wait Time
45 minutes-1 hour
The Final Step
Bake
Moderate heat bakes the loaf through without burning the blueberries on top.
Baking Methods
Low and steady wins the race with this loaf. The sugars in the blueberries and honey can brown fast.
Equipment: 9x5-inch loaf pan
Preheat
Preheat your oven to 350F (175C) with the rack in the lower-third position.
Bake
Bake for 35-40 minutes until the top is deep golden brown and the internal temperature reads 195F (90C). If the top is browning too fast, tent with foil after 25 minutes.
Cool
Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Let cool completely before slicing, at least 45 minutes. Cutting too soon will result in a gummy crumb and the blueberries will smear.
"The blueberries hold a lot of heat. Even when the bread feels done on top, give it the full time. That internal temperature reading is your best friend here."
Nutrition Facts
Per 1 slice (1/12 of loaf) • 12 servings per recipe
* Values are estimates based on standard ingredients; actual values vary by brands and portion size.
Storage
Room Temperature
3-4 days wrapped in a bread bag or plastic wrap
Refrigerated
Not recommended. Refrigeration accelerates staling.
Frozen
Up to 3 months. Slice before freezing so you can pull individual slices as needed.
Refresh
Toast slices or warm the whole loaf at 325F (160C) for 10-12 minutes
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Troubleshooting
Baker's Notes
Common questions and solutions for perfect results
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