When my partner AJ entered the house while this was baking, his eye lit up. The smell is pretty intoxicating, one part autumnal spices, one part fresh baked baked good, and one part sugary sweet nuttiness. Don't be scared by the long list of ingredients. You probably have most of them in the pantry already! And this quick batter bread is pretty easy to throw together, making it a perfect afternoon snack, an easy breakfast or just about anytime!
Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword apple, quick bread
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 1 hourhour
Servings 8
Calories 534kcal
Author Irvin
Equipment
9 x 5 inch bread loaf pan
parchment paper (optional)
Food processor
Ingredients
Bread batter
3/4cupwalnuts85 g
1/2cupunsalted butter1 stick or 115 g
2tablespoonswalnut oilor olive oil
1cuppacked dark brown sugar220g
2teaspoonvanilla extract
1teaspoonalmond extractoptional
1teaspoonbaking powder
1/2teaspoonbaking soda
1/2teaspoonkosher salt
1 1/2teaspoonground cinnamon
1/2teaspoonground ginger
1/4teaspoonground nutmeg
2large eggs
1cupwhole wheat flour150 g
1cupall purpose flour140 g
1/2cupbuttermilk
2medium Granny Smith applespeeled, cored and chopped into 1/2-inch chunks (about 2 cups)
Streusel topping
1/2cupchopped walnuts55 g
1/4cupdark brown sugar55 g
1/4cupall purpose flour35 g
1/2teaspoonground cinnamon
1/4teaspoonkosher salt
2tablespoonmelted unsalted butter
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350˚Spray the bread loaf pan with cooking oil and then place a piece of parchment paper inside the pan and up the sides, overhanging the edges by an inch or two.
Make the bread batter by placing the walnuts in a food processor and processing until you have a fine crumbs of walnuts (it’ll look like coarse sand). Pour the crumbs into a medium pan and toast the walnut crumbs over medium heat until they start to smell fragrant and darken a bit, about two to three minutes. Pour into a medium size bowl to cool down.
Place the butter in the same pan you cooked the walnut crumbs and turn the heat back to medium. Cook the butter until it melt and the butter fat starts to brown. The butter might foam a bit, but once you notice brown specks at the bottom of the pan, turn the heat off, and let the residual heat from the pan continue to cook the butterfat until it has turned dark golden brown.
Pour the brown butter into the mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, being sure to scrap all the brown bits into the bowl as well. Turn the mixer on and beat for about 30 seconds to cool the butter down. Add the walnut oil (or olive oiand dark brown sugar. Beat for another 30 seconds to incorporate.
Add the vanilla extract, almond extract (if using), baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. Beat to incorporate and add the eggs, one at a time, beating between additions to incorporate. Add the toasted walnut crumbs to the batter and beat to incorporate.
Add both flours to the batter and beat to incorporate. Add the buttermilk and beat to incorporate. Add the apple bits to the batter and fold them with a large spatula by hand. Scrape the batter into the prepared bread loaf pan.
Make the streusel topping by placing the chopped walnuts, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and sea salt in the same bowl the toasted walnut crumbs used to be in. Drizzle the melted butter over the ingredients and toss together with a fork. The ingredients should clump together. Sprinkle over the bread batter evenly and bake in the oven for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the bread comes out clean.
Let the bread cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before removing the bread out of the pan by grabbing the sides of the parchment paper that are hanging over the edges and lifting straight up. Move to a wire rack and let cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes
You can substitute all-purpose flour for the whole wheat flour if you'd like. Just increase the amount of all-purpose flour to 2 cups (280 g).