Cranberry Walnut Celebration Bread Braid Reinhart
Submitted by bettina on November 15, 2004 at 7:18 pm

DESCRIPTION
Cranberry-Walnut Celebration Bread Braid-Reinhart

SUMMARY
Yield 0 File under Yeast Bread/Rolls (not sourdough)

INSTRUCTIONS
K.M....here ya go, from Epicurious:

CRANBERRY-WALNUT BRAID
Peter Reinhart, a baking instructor at the California Culinary Academy, says, "Ever since I was a kid, the cranberry relish has been just about my favorite part of the holiday dinner. I love how its juices run in every direction to blend with everything on the plate. Of course, it has to be good cranberry relish, with coarsely chopped berries and walnuts and plenty of orange flavor. The cranberry-walnut braid captures those flavors, and the shape makes a beautiful presentation, too. The crisp little pieces of turkey skin called 'cracklings' were another annual Thanksgiving treat of mine. They reminded me of bacon, and I could never get enough. My buttermilk corn bread which is sweet and savory, moist inside and crunchy outside puts some real bacon into the feast."

3 cups (or more) bread flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 envelopes quick-rising dry yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted, hot
1 1/2 tablespoons orange extract
1/3 cup (about) hot water (120F to 130F)
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 large egg, beaten to blend (for glaze)

Stir 3 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt in large bowl to blend. Add buttermilk, 2 eggs, melted butter and orange extract and stir vigorously until well blended. Gradually stir in enough hot water to form soft, slightly sticky dough. Transfer dough to floured work surface. Knead dough until smooth and slightly tacky but not sticky, adding more flour if necessary, about 7 minutes. Knead in dried cranberries 1/3 cup at a time; then knead in walnuts. Form dough into ball.
Oil large bowl. Add dough to bowl, turning to coat with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, then towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 1/2 hours.

Lightly oil heavy large baking sheet. Punch down dough. Turn dough out onto floured surface. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces; then divide 1 dough piece into 3 equal pieces and reserve. Using palms of hands, roll out each of remaining 3 large pieces on work surface to 13-inch-long ropes. Braid ropes together. Tuck ends under and pinch together. Transfer braid to prepared baking sheet. Roll out each of reserved 3 small dough pieces to 10-inch-long ropes. Braid ropes together. Tuck ends under and pinch together. Brush large braid with some of egg glaze. Place small braid atop center of large braid. Brush small braid with some of egg glaze. Let rise uncovered in warm area until almost doubled in volume, about 1 hour 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325?F. Brush loaf again with egg glaze. Bake until loaf is deep golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on bottom, about 45 minutes. Transfer loaf to rack and cool at least 45 minutes before slicing. (Can be prepared ahead. Cool completely. Wrap tightly in foil and freeze up to 2 weeks. Uncover and thaw at room temperature.)

Makes 1 loaf.

Bon Appetit

November 1999
Peter Reinhart

Enjoy!