Honey and walnut bread

A stronger flavoured honey such as manuka, kamahi or beechwood honeydew works well in this recipe. This delicious bread has been served alongside our selection of cheeses ever since I bought Vinnies restaurant 10 years ago. I like it best thinly sliced and toasted until crisp, served with a wedge of creamy blue cheese (at room temperature) and topped with a spoonful of natural honeycomb.

Ingredients

20 g	Active dried yeast
100 ml	Water
100 ml	Milk
120 g	Honey (Main)
55 g	Butter, melted
200 g	Flour
280 g	Wholemeal flour
15 g	Salt
130 g	Walnuts (Main)

Directions

1. Whisk yeast with water, milk, honey and butter.
2. Add flours and mix to form a dough then knead for 5 minutes, add salt and knead for a further 5 minutes. This can be done either by hand or with a machine.
3. Place the dough in a bowl, cover with clingfilm and allow to prove for 2–3 hours or until doubled in size.
4. On a lightly floured bench, roll out the dough to form a rectangle approx 20 x 30cm.
5. Scatter the walnuts over and press them down into the dough.
6. Roll the short end of the dough to form a spiral and squeeze out any air bubbles as you roll.
7. Place the dough in a lightly greased 20cm loaf tin, cover with cling film and allow to prove a second time for 2-3 hours or until doubled in size.
8. Heat oven to 200C. Bake for 15 minutes then reduce temperature to 150C and bake for a further 30 minutes.
9. Remove bread from the tin and cool on a wire rack. When cool, wrap in plastic wrap and store in the fridge.
10. Serve thin slices toasted with your favourite blue cheese and honeycomb.

See more of Geoff's honey recipes

• Honey creme brulee
• Honey parfait