Food & Cooking Recipes Breakfast & Brunch Recipes Bread Recipes Walnut-Fig Bread Be the first to rate & review! By Martha Stewart Test Kitchen Martha Stewart Test Kitchen The recipes developed by our test kitchen team have undergone a rigorous process of development and testing, ensuring that every element is optimal, from ingredient amounts to method and cooking time. This process includes triple-testing recipes to ensure they meet our high standards. The many stellar cooks and food editors who have been part of our team include Sarah Carey, Lucinda Scala Quinn, Jennifer Aaronson, Shira Bocar, Anna Kovel, Greg Lofts, Riley Wofford, Lauren Tyrell, and Lindsay Leopold. Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 12, 2017 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Prep Time: 30 mins Total Time: 3 hrs 15 mins Yield: 1 loaf A hearty bread is your reward for flexing your muscles as you knead this dense dough. Ingredients 1 ¼ cups water, warmed to 110 degrees 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon active dry yeast Olive oil, for brushing 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 1 cup rye flour 2 cups chopped dried Calimyrna figs (about 10 ounces) 2 tablespoons fennel seeds 2 tablespoons coarse salt 1 cup toasted and chopped walnuts (about 4 ounces) Directions Stir warm water, sugar, and yeast in a small bowl until yeast is dissolved. Let mixture stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Brush a large bowl with oil and set aside. Place flours, 1 cup dried figs, fennel seeds, and salt in another bowl. Add yeast mixture; bring mixture together with your hands. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Transfer dough to oiled bowl, and cover loosely with a piece of lightly oiled plastic wrap. Let dough rise in a warm place until almost doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead in walnuts and remaining 1 cup dried figs (be aggressive with the dough to work in nuts and figs). Shape dough into a ball; pull seams in toward bottom to stretch and smooth top. Brush a baking sheet with oil; place dough in the middle. Loosely cover with a piece of lightly oiled plastic wrap. Let dough rise in a warm place until almost doubled in bulk, about 40 minutes. Bake until bread is light golden brown, about 30 minutes. Loosely tent with foil, and continue to bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the bottom of loaf registers 180 degrees and comes out clean, about 30 minutes more. Immediately transfer loaf to a wire rack; let cool completely before slicing. Cook's Notes Store this bread in a large resealable plastic bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. Rate it Print