A Decadent Twist on High Hydration Italian Bread
If you love baking and experimenting with flavors, this enriched high hydration Italian bread is for you. Inspired by my classic high hydration Italian loaf, I wanted to take the recipe in a more indulgent direction—without using refined sugar. Instead, I swapped out the water for milk, added an egg and a touch of extra virgin olive oil for a luxuriously soft crumb, and incorporated mix-ins like walnuts, Callebaut white chocolate, and homemade cranberries. To top it all off, I drizzled in some Date Lady Date Syrup for a rich, natural sweetness.
What sets this bread apart is its softness and rich texture without any added sugar, making it a treat you can enjoy without the typical sugar spike that comes with most enriched breads. The combination of flavors, textures, and the process of working with high hydration dough makes this loaf special—and I can’t wait to share it with you.
Let’s cover what makes this recipe unique and why you’ll want to add it to your baking rotation!
What Makes This Bread Unique?
This bread stands apart for several reasons, starting with the high hydration dough technique. While many bakers shy away from high hydration doughs due to their challenging, sticky nature, I’ve perfected this method using a whisk attachment. This allows the dough to reach an impressive hydration level, resulting in an airy, soft crumb that feels almost cloud-like when sliced. Unlike traditional Italian bread or enriched doughs, this loaf achieves its richness without the need for sugar, making it perfect for those looking for a more mindful indulgence.
The secret to this recipe’s softness lies in the thoughtful inclusion of milk, egg, and olive oil. These ingredients bring a smooth richness to the dough, with milk adding moisture, the egg providing structure, and the olive oil creating a tender crumb. While typical enriched breads rely on sugar for softness, this version keeps the glycemic impact low, making it a delightful and health-conscious alternative.
The mix-ins add another layer of excitement to the loaf. Walnuts bring a satisfying crunch, while the Callebaut white chocolate melts into sweet pockets within the bread, perfectly contrasting with the tangy, home-canned cranberries. Drizzling in Date Lady Date Syrup adds a subtle, caramel-like sweetness without overwhelming the natural flavors of the other ingredients.
This loaf is truly unique in its balance of flavor, texture, and nutrition, making it a one-of-a-kind baking experience that you’ll want to try again and again.
Ingredient Breakdown
Now, let’s take a closer look at the key ingredients that make this enriched high hydration bread so special. Each one plays a unique role, contributing to the bread’s texture, flavor, and nutritional profile:
- Milk: Replacing water with milk is the first step in enriching this dough. Milk adds fat, sugars (lactose), and proteins, which create a softer crumb and richer flavor compared to water-based doughs. The fat in milk helps tenderize the dough, while the proteins enhance browning during baking, giving the bread a golden crust.
- Egg: Eggs are essential for adding structure and a subtle richness to the bread. They help bind the dough, making it easier to handle while contributing to the softness of the crumb. Eggs also improve the elasticity of the dough, allowing it to rise beautifully during baking, and enhance the overall golden color of the crust.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: The olive oil is a key ingredient in this recipe for achieving a tender crumb. By adding olive oil, you’re incorporating a fat that softens both the crumb and the crust. Olive oil works by coating some of the gluten strands, weakening them slightly, which results in a bread that feels smooth and moist when you bite into it. It also adds a subtle, pleasant flavor that pairs perfectly with the other ingredients.
- Walnuts, Callebaut White Chocolate, and Cranberries: The mix-ins take this bread from ordinary to extraordinary. The walnuts provide a crunchy texture and earthy flavor, complementing the sweetness of the white chocolate. Callebaut white chocolate, known for its high-quality cocoa butter content, melts into the dough, creating sweet, creamy pockets. Meanwhile, the cranberries add a tart contrast that balances out the richness of the chocolate and the earthiness of the walnuts.
- Date Syrup: Finally, Date Lady Date Syrup is a natural sweetener that replaces refined sugar. Made from whole dates, this syrup offers a caramel-like sweetness without the spike in blood sugar that comes with refined sugars. It’s a healthier alternative that enhances the flavors of the mix-ins without overpowering the bread.
Step-by-Step Recipe Process
Now, let’s dive into the process of creating this beautifully enriched high hydration bread. Each step plays a crucial role in achieving the perfect texture, flavor, and appearance:
1. Mixing the Dough
- Initial Mix: Start by combining your flour, milk, egg, and a small amount of extra virgin olive oil in the mixing bowl. Using the whisk attachment on your stand mixer, mix the dough on medium speed for no longer than 3 minutes. The whisk attachment allows for better incorporation of liquid into the dough without overworking it. This ensures the dough remains soft and light, which is key for high hydration bread.
- Rest Period: Let the dough rest for about 15-20 minutes after the initial mixing. This rest period allows the gluten to relax and the flour to hydrate fully, making the dough easier to work with in the next stage.
2. Folding in the Mix-ins
- Spread the Dough: Gently spread the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
- Add Mix-ins: Sprinkle your mix-ins (walnuts, white chocolate, cranberries, and a drizzle of date syrup) evenly over the dough. This ensures that each bite has a perfect balance of flavors and textures.
- Folding Technique: Fold the dough over itself, incorporating the mix-ins evenly without tearing the dough.
3. Second Rest and Stretch & Folds
- Rest: Let the dough rest for another 15 minutes. This resting period helps the dough to absorb the mix-ins and makes it easier to handle during the stretch and folds.
- Stretch & Folds: Perform a set of stretch and folds—this technique builds the dough’s structure without over-kneading. With high hydration doughs, stretching and folding develops the gluten network gently, keeping the dough airy yet strong.
4. Shaping and Proofing
- After the stretch and folds, shape the dough into a smooth ball and place it on parchment paper.
- If desired, you can let the dough rest in the refrigerator for an even longer, slower proofing process, which can enhance the flavor. However, the bread can be baked immediately at this point in time.
5. Baking
- Steam Baking: Preheat your oven to 425°F and prepare your baking space by placing a pan of ice cubes at the bottom of the oven. This creates steam, which is crucial for developing a crispy, golden crust. Right before placing the loaf in the oven, spray the top of the loaf generously with waterThe Pantry Mama.
- First Stage of Baking: Bake the loaf at 425°F for the first 30 minutes, which allows the bread to rise fully and form a robust crust.
- Second Stage of Baking: Lower the temperature to 375°F and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes. This lower temperature ensures the loaf bakes evenly throughout without burning the exterior. If the crust is getting too dark, you may cover it with a foil tent to help prevent a burnt outer crust.
- Cooling: Once baked, remove the loaf from the oven and let it cool for at least 3 hours. This crucial step prevents a gummy crumb by allowing the steam and moisture inside to fully settle.
Why You Must Let the Bread Cool
One of the most critical steps in this high hydration bread recipe is the cooling process. As tempting as it might be to slice into the bread while it’s still warm, waiting at least 3 hours is essential for achieving the perfect crumb texture.
Because this is a high hydration dough, the bread is packed with moisture. If sliced too early, the interior will still be filled with steam, which leads to a gummy crumb—a dense, wet texture that compromises the airy structure you’ve worked hard to develop.
During the cooling process, the heat redistributes, and the moisture inside the bread slowly evaporates. This step allows the crumb to fully set and the crust to remain crisp without softening. After a few hours, you’ll have a loaf that’s easy to slice and has a light, open crumb with the perfect balance of chewiness and softness.
By giving the loaf enough time to cool, you’re ensuring that every bite has the best texture possible, with a beautifully soft crumb and a flavorful, crunchy crust.
Final Thoughts
This enriched high hydration Italian bread is a true celebration of texture, flavor, and mindful indulgence. With its soft, airy crumb, rich mix-ins, and the perfect balance of moisture, it’s a loaf that’s both comforting and exciting. The high hydration technique combined with enriching ingredients like milk, egg, and olive oil creates a bread that is tender yet wholesome. The addition of walnuts, white chocolate, cranberries, and date syrup takes it to another level—one that you won’t want to miss.
Now that you know the secrets behind this unique recipe, it’s time to break out your whisk attachment and give it a try. Make sure to use high-quality ingredients like Callebaut white chocolate and Date Lady Date Syrup (you can find them through the links below), and don’t forget to let the loaf cool for the full 3 hours for that perfect crumb.
Happy baking! Be sure to share your results in the comments or tag me on social media—I’d love to see how your loaves turn out.
White Chocolate Cranberry Italian Bread
Ingredients
- 320 g hard white wheat
- 100 g durum wheat
- 325 g whole milk
- 1 whole egg or 1 tbsp sunflower lecithin
- 25 g extra virgin olive oil
- ⅛ tsp vitamin c optional
- ⅛ tsp barley malt powder optional
- 10 g sea salt, celtic grey
- 12 g yeast (instant) or active dry, but prove it first with 25 g of water from the recipe
- 50 g boiling water for making Yudane
- ½ tbsp cinnamon, ground
- 1 dash cardamom, ground
Instructions
- Mill the Flour
- Mix 25 grams of the milled flour with 50 grams of the boiling water until it forms a paste.
- Add everything except the salt and yeast to the mixing bowl, and mix with wire whip (whisk) for 3 minutes on highest speed.
- Let the dough rest 15 minutes to absorb the liquid from the recipe.
- Mix for another 1-2 minutes with the whisk until it climbs them, and if needed mix with the dough hook until the dough is smooth and shiny and cleans the bowl.
Adding the mix-ins
- Spread the dough out onto an oiled board.
- Sprinkle the chopped walnuts, cranberries, and white chocolate over the dough
- Lightly drizzle some date syrup over the mixins, then fold the dough over them from the edges, like an envelope. Fold the dough over itself again, and then roll it up into a ball (boule).
- Preheat the oven to 425 F.
- Let the dough rest for 15 minutes.
- Do a set of stretch and folds, gently, to give the dough some structure.
- Turn out the dough onto parchment.
Baking
- Place the dough and parchment onto a baking stone, and spray the bread freely with water. Place a few ice cubes into the oven, and close the door.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- If the crust is getting too dark, cover it with a foil tent. Drop the oven temp to 375 F and bake for another 25 minutes or more.
- Remove the loaf when the absolute middle of the loaf reaches 210 F.
- Let cool on a baking rack for 3 hours before slicing, or your crumb will be gummy.
- Keep cut side down on the counter, or store in a paper bag if you want the crust to remain crusty.
