Celebrity Walnut Loaf Recipes

WALNUT & BANANA LOAF

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/gas 3.
• Spread the walnuts out on a baking tray and toast gently in the oven for 5 minutes, or until they smell fantastic.
• Meanwhile, quickly peel and mash up the bananas, so you've got a mixture of smooth and chunky.
• Cream the butter and sugar together in a food processor (or by hand), until smooth and pale. Beat in the eggs one by one, scraping the sides as you go so everything gets mixed together, then spoon into a large bowl.
• Tip the toasted walnuts onto a board, then quickly run a knife through them, leaving some halved and others fairly fine so you get a good range of textures.
• Add the mashed bananas and chopped walnuts to the bowl, then sift in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and a pinch of sea salt. Mix to a smooth batter.
• Tear off 1 metre of greaseproof paper, scrunch it and wet under a tap. Drizzle a little olive oil over both sides and rub that in, then push the scrunched greaseproof into a 1-litre loaf tin, getting it right down into the corners (it's ok if it's a bit scruffy).
• Transfer the batter to the prepared tin and cook on the middle shelf in the oven for 1 hour, or until cooked through. To test if it's cooked, poke a skewer into the middle - if it comes out clean, it's done, if not cook for another few minutes.
• While the loaf bakes, make the chocolate butter. Snap the chocolate into a heatproof bowl and melt slowly over a pan of gently simmering hot water.
• Once melted, remove from the heat, and finely grate in the orange zest. Stir to combine, then leave to cool slightly.
• Cream the butter and icing sugar together, then beat in the cooled chocolate. Once you've got a nice even mixture, transfer it to a little pot or a cute butter dish and sprinkle on a tiny pinch of sea salt from a height to give it a little salty kick.
• Either put in the fridge to set for a few hours, or serve right away spread on a slice of warm banana loaf. Keep any leftover chocolate butter in a jar in the fridge for another day, and just take it out of the fridge to soften before serving.

BRITISH DATE AND WALNUT LOAF CAKE

Steps:

• Place dates and margarine in a bowl with boiling water and baking soda. Gently mix with a wooden spoon until margarine has melted and dates are plumped up. Let cool to room temperature, at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line a 2-pound loaf pan with parchment paper.
• Combine flour, brown sugar, and walnuts in a separate bowl. Add to bowl with the date mixture. Mix well with a wooden spoon. Add egg and mix in. Spoon mixture into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 60 to 75 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.

SPICED WALNUT LOAF

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, applesauce, sugar, oil and milk; add to the dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the walnuts. Transfer to a greased and floured 9x5-in. loaf pan., Combine the topping ingredients; sprinkle over the batter. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

WALNUT LOAF CAKE

Steps:

• Grease and line a cake loaf tin with greaseproof paper
• Preheat the oven to 180°C
• Using a pestle and mortar, crush the walnuts until in very small pieces (some like powder, some chunkier)
• Mix together the butter and sugar until soft and fluffy
• Add in the eggs one at a time and beat in until fully mixed
• Sieve in the flour and baking powder and mix in thoroughly
• Finally add in the vanilla essence, yoghurt and walnuts and stir in thoroughly until evenly dispersed
• Pour into the prepared loaf tine
• Bake for about 30 minutes in the preheated oven or until a skewer comes out clean
• Leave to cool and cut into slices - eat with vanilla ice cream.

WALNUT SEED LOAF

Steps:

• Mix the flours, potato starch, xanthan gum, yeast, sugar and 1½ tsp salt in a large bowl. Mix together the milk, oil and vinegar in a separate bowl, then add to the dry ingredients and mix until a soft dough comes together. Cover loosely with oiled cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hr.
• Knead in most of the seeds and walnuts. Shape into a large round - oiled hands will help. Roll the round in the remaining seeds and nuts, then lift onto a baking tray. Loosely cover again with oiled cling film and leave for 1 hr more.
• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Bake the bread for 15 mins, then reduce oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5 and continue baking for 30 mins until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the base. Leave on a wire rack to cool, wrapped in a clean tea towel - this will help to keep the loaf soft.

WALNUT LOAF

Steps:

• Toast the bread slices either in the toaster or on a baking sheet placed under the broiler. Let cool.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Generously butter a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan, then line the bottom with waxed paper and butter the paper.
• Tear up the toasted bread slices and make crumbs out of them in a food processor. Place in a large bowl.
• Process the walnuts until finely ground and mix into the bread crumbs. Combine the eggs and onions in the processor and process until fine but not liquefied. Stir into the bread crumbs. Place the green pepper, celery, parsley, tomatoes, and oil in the processor and grind until fine but still with some texture. Stir into the loaf mixture along with the poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix this all very well until evenly moistened. (The mixture may be prepared to this point and refrigerated up to 8 hours in advance.) Scrape it into the prepared loaf pan and smooth over the top. Cover the loaf with foil.
• Bake 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of the loaf comes out dry. Let sit 5 minutes, then run a knife all along the sides of the loaf to help loosen it. Unmold the loaf onto a platter and remove the waxed paper. Let the loaf cool 20 minutes or so before slicing it. It's best to serve the loaf warm and the gravy hot.
• Melt the butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and saute until brown, about 7 minutes. Stir in the flour; it will become very pasty. Cook this roux for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. It will stick to the bottom of the pan a little bit; that's okay.
• Stir in the stock, wine, soy sauce, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Cook the sauce at a lively simmer for 5 minutes, stirring almost constantly and scraping any crusty bits that adhere to the bottom of the pan. Serve in a sauceboat.

CELEBRITY WALNUT LOAF

Steps:

• Toast the bread slices either in the toaster or on a baking sheet placed under the broiler.
• Let cool.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Generously butter a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan, then line the bottom with waxed paper and butter the paper.
• Tear up the toasted bread slices and make crumbs out of them in a food processor.
• Place in a large bowl.
• Process the walnuts until finely ground and mix into the bread crumbs.
• Combine the eggs and onions in the processor and process until fine but not liquefied.
• Stir into the bread crumbs.
• Place the green pepper, celery, parsley, tomatoes, and oil in the processor and grind until fine but still with some texture.
• Stir into the loaf mixture along with the poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper.
• Mix this all very well until evenly moistened.
• (The mixture may be prepared to this point and refrigerated up to 8 hours in advance.) Scrape it into the prepared loaf pan and smooth over the top.
• Cover the loaf with foil.
• Bake 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of the loaf comes out dry.
• Let sit 5 minutes, then run a knife all along the sides of the loaf to help loosen it.
• Unmold the loaf onto a platter and remove the waxed paper.
• Let the loaf cool 20 minutes or so before slicing it.
• It's best to serve the loaf warm and the gravy hot.
• Mushroom gravy: Melt the butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat.
• Add the mushrooms and saute until brown, about 7 minutes.
• Stir in the flour; it will become very pasty.
• Cook this roux for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• It will stick to the bottom of the pan a little bit; that's okay.
• Stir in the stock, wine, soy sauce, and pepper, and bring to a boil.
• Cook the sauce at a bubbling simmer for 5 minutes, stirring almost constantly and scraping any crusty bits that stick to the bottom of the pan.
• Serve in a pretty gravyboat.