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Sweet, fragrant, and wonderfully rustic, this Fig and Walnut Bread is a beautiful homemade loaf filled with chewy dried figs and crunchy chopped walnuts.
The combination of bread flour and wholemeal flour gives the loaf a satisfying structure while adding a slightly hearty character to every slice.
A touch of cinnamon and sugar enhances the natural sweetness of the figs without overwhelming their rich, fruity flavor.
The walnuts bring a pleasant crunch and nutty contrast, creating an appealing combination of textures throughout the soft, tender crumb.
Buttermilk, olive oil, and egg help create a flavorful dough with a lovely texture, while the yeast allows the bread to rise into a light and pleasantly puffy loaf.
As it bakes, the exterior turns deep golden brown, giving the finished bread an attractive rustic appearance.
This versatile loaf works beautifully as part of a relaxed breakfast, served simply in thick slices, or presented alongside a cheese platter.
Its balance of sweet fruit, warm cinnamon, earthy wholemeal flour, and crunchy nuts makes every slice feel special.
The recipe can be prepared either in a Thermomix or using a conventional hand-kneading or stand-mixer method, making it accessible for different baking preferences.
After cooling completely, the loaf is ready to slice and enjoy with its soft interior and generous pockets of figs and walnuts.
Easy Fig and Walnut Bread
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Activate the Yeast: Add the water, buttermilk, and instant yeast to the Thermomix bowl, then heat for 5 minutes at 37°C on speed 2.
- Add the Remaining Dough Ingredients: Add the slightly beaten egg, olive oil, bread flour, wholemeal flour, sugar, salt, and ground cinnamon to the bowl, following the original ingredient order.
- Knead the Dough: Set the Thermomix to knead on interval/knead speed for 3 minutes; while the dough is kneading, chop the figs and walnuts.
- Incorporate the Figs and Nuts: Add the chopped figs and walnuts to the bowl, then knead for a further 1 minute until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- First Proof: Remove the dough from the Thermomix bowl and place it in a warm location to prove for about 1 hour, or until noticeably puffy.
- Shape the Loaf: Turn out the dough and gently shape it into a loaf, taking care not to knock out too much of the air developed during proving.
- Second Proof: Leave the shaped loaf to prove again for approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the temperature of the kitchen.
- Bake the Bread: Preheat the oven to 180°C fan, then bake the loaf until deep golden brown; the source notes that baking may take about 25 minutes, although oven times can vary.
- Cool Before Slicing: Remove the loaf from the oven and allow it to cool completely before slicing, as cutting it too early can make the interior appear undercooked because of trapped steam.
- Combine the Liquid Ingredients and Yeast: In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the water, buttermilk, and instant yeast, then mix with a fork.
- Make and Knead the Dough: Add the slightly beaten egg, olive oil, bread flour, wholemeal flour, sugar, salt, and ground cinnamon, then knead by hand or with a dough hook for about 8 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic; chop the figs and walnuts while the dough is being kneaded.
- Add the Figs and Nuts: Knead the chopped figs and walnuts into the dough for a further 1–2 minutes, until evenly distributed.
- First Proof: Cover the dough and leave it in a warm place for around 1 hour, or until puffy and nearly doubled in size.
- Shape the Dough: Turn out the dough and gently shape it into a loaf while being careful not to knock out all the air.
- Second Proof: Cover the shaped loaf and leave it to prove for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Bake Until Golden: Preheat the oven to 180°C fan, then bake the loaf for around 25 minutes, or until deep golden brown.
- Cool Completely: Transfer the baked loaf to a wire rack and allow it to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Use either walnuts or pecans, as both are included as suitable options in the original recipe.
- Chop the figs and nuts before adding them to the dough so they can be distributed more evenly during the final kneading stage.
- The second proving time can vary between 30 minutes and 1 hour depending on the warmth of your kitchen.
- Handle the dough gently when shaping the loaf to avoid knocking out too much of the air developed during the first proof.
- Baking time may vary between ovens, so use the loaf’s deep golden-brown color as an important visual cue.
- Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing to prevent trapped steam from making the interior appear undercooked.
- The recipe can be made using either the Thermomix method or the conventional hand/stand-mixer method.
Chef’s Secret
The most useful tip for this particular bread is to resist slicing it while it is still warm. Because the loaf contains moisture-rich ingredients such as buttermilk and figs, trapped steam continues to settle inside the bread after baking.
Letting it cool completely helps the crumb set properly, giving you cleaner slices and preventing the interior from looking wet or underbaked.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this Fig and Walnut Bread in generous slices as part of breakfast or alongside a cheese platter.
Its naturally sweet figs and crunchy nuts pair especially well with a selection of cheeses, while the warm cinnamon flavor makes it enjoyable on its own as well.
You can also serve it sliced as part of a relaxed brunch spread or arrange it on a platter with complementary cheese and other accompaniments of your choice.
Conclusion
Fig and Walnut Bread is a flavorful homemade loaf that combines sweet dried figs, crunchy nuts, warm cinnamon, and a hearty blend of bread and wholemeal flours.
The finished bread has a deeply golden exterior and a soft interior filled with fruity and nutty texture.
Whether prepared in a Thermomix, by hand, or with a stand mixer, the recipe follows a straightforward process with two proving stages.
Its versatility makes it suitable for breakfast, brunch, or serving as part of a cheese platter.
Once fully cooled and sliced, this rustic loaf offers a delicious balance of sweetness, warmth, and crunch in every piece.
