Autumn Brown Sugar Walnut Toast

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Cozy up on a crisp afternoon with this Autumn Brown Sugar Walnut Toast—warm, tender bread swirled with caramelized brown sugar and crunchy walnuts. Tear off a hot slice, sip your favorite tea, and let that nutty sweetness melt in your mouth.

Why You’ll Love This Toast

Buttery, tender crumb: High‑gluten flour and butter create a soft, chewy bite.

Sweet‑nutty filling: Brown sugar caramelizes around walnut pieces for gooey pockets.

Eye‑catching pull‑apart loaf: Perfect for sharing and social‑media worthy!

Make‑ahead ease: Prepare dough in the morning, bake for afternoon tea.

Autumn Brown Sugar Walnut Toast Recipe

Prep Time	Bake Time	Total Time
20 minutes	30 minutes	~3 hours

Ingredients You’ll Need

Dough

• 250 g high‑gluten bread flour (bread flour)
• 40 g egg liquid (∼1 large egg, beaten) 
• 155 g whole milk, warmed 
• 40 g brown sugar 
• 3 g fine salt 
• 8 g fresh yeast (or 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast) 
• 25 g unsalted butter, softened (high‑quality butter)

Filling & Topping

• 20 g brown sugar
• 20 g walnut pieces, toasted (walnuts)
• 5 g butter, melted (for dotting)
• 1 Tbsp sliced almonds
• 1 Tbsp egg wash (egg liquid mixed with 1 Tbsp water)

Equipment

• 1 Loaf pan (8 × 4 inch) or standard “toast box”
• Stand mixer (optional) or mixing bowl
• Rolling pin
• Bench scraper (or sharp knife)

Directions 

Bloom & Sweeten

• Stir 40 g brown sugar into 155 g warm milk until dissolved.
• Sprinkle yeast over milk; let rest 5 minutes until frothy.

Form the Dough

• Combine milk‑yeast mixture, 250 g flour, 40 g egg, and 40 g sugar in bowl.
• Mix until a shaggy dough forms.

Add Salt & Butter

• Knead (by mixer or by hand) until a thin “windowpane” develops.
• Add 3 g salt and 25 g softened butter; continue kneading until dough is smooth and elastic (≈8–10 minutes).

First Rise

• Shape into a ball; place in a lightly oiled bowl.
• Cover and proof at 28 °C for 40–60 minutes, until doubled.

Divide and Rest

• Gently deflate dough, divide into four equal pieces (~100 g each).
• Cover and rest 20 minutes.

Shape with Filling

• Roll one piece into a 15 × 10 cm rectangle.
• Sprinkle 5 g brown sugar and 5 g walnuts in the center; roll into a log.
• Repeat for remaining pieces; nestle logs side by side in the loaf pan.

Final Proof and Decorate

• Cover pan; proof at 36 °C until dough reaches 80–90% of fill height (the “8.9 point”).
• Brush top with egg wash, cut a 1 cm slit down the center with scissors, and sprinkle sliced almonds.
• Dot with melted butter.

Bake

• Preheat oven to 185 °C bottom/165 °C top.
• Bake 35 minutes, rotating pan halfway for even browning.
• Remove from pan; cool on rack for at least 10 minutes before tearing.

Quick Process Overview

Pro Tips & Variations

• Extra crunch: Stir 1 tsp chia seeds into the filling.
• Maple twist: Swap half the brown sugar for maple sugar.
• Spiced aroma: Add ¼ tsp cinnamon to the dough.
• Vegan option: Use plant‑based butter and a flax “egg” (1 Tbsp ground flax + 3 Tbsp water).

Storage & Serving

• Room Temp: Store in an airtight container, up to 2 days.
• Freeze: Slice, wrap tightly, freeze up to 1 month; toast to refresh.
• Serve Warm: Microwave a slice 10 seconds or reheat in toaster oven for that fresh‑baked feel.

Want More

If you’re into toasty flavors like this, this Coconut Latte Bread Recipe is a must-try.