Autumn Harvest Bread Recipe: Fennel and Red Grapes Delight
Harvest Bread with Fennel Seeds and Red Grapes is a delightful fusion of savory and sweet flavors, perfect for any autumn table. This artisanal loaf captures the season’s essence, combining the earthy, aromatic notes of fennel seeds with the natural sweetness of red grapes. The fennel seeds release a fragrant anise-like scent that permeates the dough, enhancing its rich and wholesome taste. Juicy red grapes, scattered throughout the bread, burst with sweetness, providing a delightful contrast to the hearty crumb.
Crafted with care and attention to detail, this bread boasts a beautiful golden-brown crust, achieved through careful baking and quality ingredients. The interior is soft and airy, with a slightly chewy, satisfying, and comforting texture. Each slice reveals a mosaic of plump grapes and specks of fennel, making it as visually appealing as it is delicious.
Harvest Bread with Fennel and Red Grapes is a versatile addition to your culinary repertoire, perfect for pairing with cheeses and meats or enjoyed on its own. Whether served at a festive gathering or as part of a simple meal, this bread embodies the warmth and richness of the harvest season.
What Is Harvest Bread?
Harvest bread typically refers to artisanal bread made using abundant ingredients during harvest, particularly in the fall. This bread often includes a variety of grains, seeds, nuts, fruits, and sometimes vegetables, which are combined to create a loaf that is both flavorful and nutritious. The name “harvest bread” evokes the idea of using the best produce and freshly harvested ingredients, celebrating the season’s bounty.
The bread can vary widely in its specific ingredients and recipes, but standard features include:
- Whole Grains: Whole wheat, rye, or multigrain flours add a hearty texture and nutty flavor.
- Seeds and Nuts: Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds, and walnuts add crunch and nutrition.
- Dried or Fresh Fruits, such as cranberries, raisins, figs, apples, or, as in your case, red grapes, add natural sweetness and moisture.
- Vegetables and Herbs: Some vegetables, such as carrots, squash, fennel, or rosemary, are sometimes included to enhance flavor and complexity.
Harvest bread is often enjoyed in autumn and is perfect for serving at holiday gatherings, family meals, or simply as a delicious accompaniment to soups, stews, cheeses, and spreads. Its rustic appearance and rich, complex flavor profile make it a favorite for those looking to celebrate the season’s flavors.
Fennel Seeds
Fennel seeds are the dried seeds of the fennel plant, scientifically known as Foeniculum vulgare. They are native to the Mediterranean region but are widely cultivated and used in various cuisines worldwide. Here are some key characteristics and uses of fennel seeds:
- Flavor: Fennel seeds have a warm, sweet, and aromatic flavor reminiscent of licorice or anise. They add a distinctive taste to dishes without being overpowering.
- Appearance: The seeds are small, elongated, and slightly curved, with ridges running along their length. They are greenish-brown or yellowish-brown in color.
- Culinary Uses: Fennel seeds are used whole and ground in cooking and baking. They are commonly used in spice blends like Chinese five-spice powder, Indian spice mixes, and Mediterranean herb blends. They are also a key ingredient in Italian sausage and are often sprinkled on breads, pastries, and savory dishes for flavor.
- Health Benefits: Fennel seeds are believed to have digestive benefits and are often chewed after meals to freshen breath and aid digestion. They are also rich in antioxidants and have been traditionally used in herbal medicine for their potential health-promoting properties.
- Versatility: Besides culinary uses, fennel seeds are used in teas and herbal infusions for their flavor and purported health benefits.
Fennel seeds are prized for their aromatic flavor profile and versatility in savory and sweet dishes across different cuisines.
Fennel and Grape Harvest Bread
Ingredients
- 1½ cups warm water 105°F to 115°F
- 2 envelopes active dry yeast
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 cups red seedless grapes stemmed & rinsed
- 10 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
Instructions
- Put the water into a large bowl, sprinkle the dry yeast on top and stir to dissolve the yeast. It may take 10 minutes before the yeast completely dissolves. This is called proofing, because you're proving that the yeast are alive and active.
- Add 1 cup of the flour to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place for about 1 hour. This stage is called a sponge. By this time it should be very bubbly.
- The remaining flour will be used to make the dough. On a nice big work surface, add the remaining flour and make a well in the center. In the well place the "sponge" and olive oil.
- Using your fingers, mix the sponge, oil and flour together to create dough, just like if you were making bread or pasta.
- Knead the dough until it is nice and smooth but don't overwork it. If need be, add water or flour while kneading to create a soft slightly sticky dough. Takes about 5 minutes.
- Divide the dough in four equal pieces and roll each piece into 12-inch rounds using your roller.
- Place one of the rounds onto a large baking sheet. Top with about 2 cups of the grapes being sure to leave at least a 1-inch border.
- Sprinkle the grapes with 2½ tablespoons sugar, then ¼ teaspoon of fennel seeds. Cover this round with another dough round and fold the edges in to make a seal. Make five ½ inch slits in the top dough round.
- Top with another 2 cups of grapes, sprinkle these with another 2½ tablespoons of sugar and another ¼ teaspoon of fennel. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel.
- Do the exact same thing to make the second loaf and let both breads sit in a warm place for about an hour until they rise to double the size.
- Preheat your oven to 375°F and bake the breads until brown and the grapes caramelize. About 1 hour.
- Let the breads cool before cutting and serving.
