Overnight wholemeal cranberry raisin seeded walnut boule

This will keep you coming back for more.

Inspired by M&S’s cranberry & toasted pecan baton, I aimed to produce something similar, but on a larger and more-affordable scale.

Buying all the staple ingredients like flour, walnuts and berries might mount up to just under £10 initially, but the amount of loaves produced from said ingredients makes it worth your while. Not to mention the sense of achievement and satisfaction derived from making your own bread—that’s priceless.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups whole-wheat flour
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• ¼ cup golden raisins
• ¼ cup mixed seeds
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp dried yeast
• 2 cups water

Method:

Begin toasting your walnuts in a dry frying pan while you measure out the other dry ingredients into a large bowl. Mix the dry ingredients and add the walnuts when slightly browned and fragrant. Ensure that everything is incorporated, then add the tepid water to the mix, stirring for about 30 seconds until you get a wet, sticky dough. Cover the bowl with a cloth or cling film and leave in a room-temperature place for 12-18 hours. If you get up at 7am, prepare the bowl at 8pm the previous evening. If you want the bread warm for the evening, prepare in the morning and bake at night, etc.

When awake, or returned from your day—however you wish to time it—tip the dough into a round cake tin and leave uncovered for another hour to rise. Meanwhile, place a tray of water in the bottom of the oven and heat to its highest temperature. When the proving time is up, place the dough covered with an upside-down cake tin—or other lid-type object—into the oven for 20 minutes. After 20, remove the lid and let rise for another 20 minutes, until it is a rich, mocha-brown, and sounds hollow when you knock the bottom of the tin.

As a test of willpower, leave to cool before slicing. Enjoy alongside soup, torn over a tomato bake or ripped straight from the crust.