French Walnut Wheat Bread

This bread has a good chewy crust. It's a great soup bread or buttered bread. The walnuts and wheat flour give it an interesting reddish brown color.

French Walnut Wheat Bread
1 1/3 cups water
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups wheat flour
2 1/2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 Tbsp. gluten
1 1/2 cups finely ground walnuts
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Heat water until warm, between 105ºF and 115ºF. Pour into warmed mixing bowl with yeast. Let stand 5 minutes.

Stir in salt and wheat flour. Beat well. Cover and let rest 15 minutes. Slowly add the bread flour, gluten and ground walnuts. Mix until dough forms. Knead on medium speed until dough is smooth and springy but soft to the touch. Knead in chopped walnuts. Cover and let rise one hour.

Punch down dough, and divide into 3 pieces. Shape into round loaves, and place on lightly greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Bake 35 to 45 minutes until nicely browned. Cool on wire rack.