By Martha Rose Shulman
- Total Time
- About 1 hour 45 minutes
- Rating
- 4(136)
- Notes
- Read community notes
This is an adaptation of a bread in Susan Loomis’s ‘Cooking on Rue Tatin.’ The slightly spicy bread makes a nice hors d’oeuvre, cut in triangles and served with wine.
Featured in: Quick Breads That Are Sweet, Savory and Whole Wheat
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Ingredients
Yield:One 8-inch loaf, about 20 slices
- 60grams (½ cup) hazelnuts
- 125grams (approximately 1 cup) whole wheat flour
- 80grams (approximately ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 12grams (1 tablespoon) baking powder
- 15grams (1 tablespoon) sugar
- 8grams (1 teaspoon) salt
- 1gram (¼ teaspoon) ground black pepper
- 2grams (½ teaspoon) fennel seeds, crushed or coarsely ground in a spice mill
- 4eggs
- 100grams (½ cup) extra virgin olive oil
- 75grams (¼ cup) milk
- 2 to 3teaspoons finely chopped orange zest (optional)
- 210grams (7 ounces) dried figs, stemmed and coarsely chopped
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (20 servings)
142 calories; 8 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 16 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 100 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Place the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 20 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and pour the hazelnuts onto a clean dishtowel. Fold over the dishtowel and rub the hazelnuts to loosen and remove the skins. Allow to cool completely.
Step
2
Place the skinned hazelnuts in a pastry bag or plastic bag and roll over them with a rolling pin, just to break the nuts in half. Set aside. Turn the oven up to 400 degrees. Oil or butter an 8½ x 4½ (or 8 x 4)-inch bread pan. Line with parchment, oil or butter the parchment, and dust lightly with flour.
Step
3
Sift together the flours, baking powder, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir in the fennel seeds.
Step
4
In a large bowl or in the bowl of an electric mixer whisk the eggs until frothy. Whisk in the olive oil and the milk. Add the optional orange zest. Whisk in the flour mixture and beat just until incorporated. Fold in the hazelnuts and chopped figs.
Step
5
Scrape the batter into the bread pan. Place in the oven and bake 40 to 45 minutes, until golden and a tester comes out clean. Remove from the oven and turn out onto a rack. Remove the parchment after 5 minutes and allow to cool completely. To serve, cut in thin slices and cut the slices in half on the diagonal, or into quarters.
Tip
- Advance preparation: This will keep for a couple of days if well wrapped and freezes well.
Ratings
4
out of 5
136
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Cooking Notes
SP
I used almond meal instead of the all-purpose flour, toasted some slivered almonds, doubled the ground fennel (and will try 2 tsp next time for a more pronounced fennel flavor), used crushed, dried orange peel, and a scant quarter teaspoon of thyme. The thyme imparted a subtle flavor. All in all, sublime!
Martha Rose Shulman
I'd substitute walnuts or almonds.
Lourdes
I made the following alterations to the recipe: used raw honey instead of sugar, 1 cup almond flour, 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour, 1/4 cup olive oil (due to the use of almond flour which has a higher oil content). I baked for 40 minutes. Result: nice and light, both lightly sweet, and lightly salty and spicy. Well worth the effort.
Janet
I didn’t change anything and we thought it was delicious!
gv
This recipe is great, and I was inspired to make some changes by all the comments here. I used cheddar, lots of manzanilla olives, and whole wheat Einkorn flour. I subbed half the mayo with chipotle mayo and it came out so well! Slightly spicy with lots of flavor.
aimee365
A big hit. Used goat cheese, fresh figs, whole wheat flour, and no nuts bc of my sister’s allergies. I kept missing the nuts. Also it was a bit crumbly unless cut in large slices.
Mlsjazz
Could this be made successfully with fresh instead of dried figs?
teresa Botero
I made this twice. The first one a week ago. I used Almond flour, Cassava flour, toasted walnuts, stevia instead of sugarand home grown dried figs. It was crusty, moist, salty, sweet and wonderfully chewy. We gobbled down half of the loaf while it was still warm with a smear of goat cheese. Pretty darn delish! I made it again today!
Janet
I didn’t change anything and we thought it was delicious!
Pat
Followed recipe closely... but it still came out very tight almost sticky in parts. I believe the packaged dry figs were not dry enough & released extra moisture. Looking for alternatives or substitutes...
Mim
For my 2nd try I did these changes: honey instead of sugar, 1 apple to add moisture (pared, chopped), 1 cup almond flour, 1/2 cup ww pastry flour, 2 tsp crushed fennel, 1 tsp orange oil instead of orange zest, 1/4 cup olive oil, hemp milk. I'll do tsp of the orange oil next time.
Betsey
I liked the flavor but did find it dry.
Lourdes
I made the following alterations to the recipe: used raw honey instead of sugar, 1 cup almond flour, 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour, 1/4 cup olive oil (due to the use of almond flour which has a higher oil content). I baked for 40 minutes. Result: nice and light, both lightly sweet, and lightly salty and spicy. Well worth the effort.
elaine d
I substituted walnuts and walnut oil. Very nice, I’ll make it again
Gerda
I found this bread to be too gritty for my taste. If I made it again, I would use half whole wheat, half white flour or maybe even 3/4 white flour. Otherwise, nice flavor and density. A spread of cream cheese was almost necessary to balance the grittiness and dryness.
SP
I used almond meal instead of the all-purpose flour, toasted some slivered almonds, doubled the ground fennel (and will try 2 tsp next time for a more pronounced fennel flavor), used crushed, dried orange peel, and a scant quarter teaspoon of thyme. The thyme imparted a subtle flavor. All in all, sublime!
Susan J.
Delicious, especially with cream cheese or butter.
Jolene
Sounds good, but I'm not wild about the flavor of hazelnuts. What would you substitute? Walnuts? Almonds? Pistachios? Something else?
Martha Rose Shulman
I'd substitute walnuts or almonds.
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