Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Peanut Bread - #BreadBakers

As you drive along major thoroughfares in Kingston, Jamaica, you'll find several vendors lining the streets. But late evening, when the traffic is at a standstill, the roasted peanut vendors stand out. There's the whistle from their portable ovens and the smell of freshly roasted peanuts filling the air. My mother is a nuts fanatic and would always get her peanuts from one particular vendor on Washington Boulevard. Freshly roasted peanuts are not as popular in our area so she had to get her treat before she left Kingston.

There's only one roasted peanut vendor (that I know of) in our neck of the woods. I'm actually not sure when he comes out. He's not there during the day and I'm not in the area late evenings. I usually only stop by him late at night. It's become a Saturday night ritual for a friend and me. Last Saturday night we bought 5 bags and the peanut man gave us an extra bag. Oh, the joy! And oh the arguments over whom that extra bag belonged to! I conducted the transaction so clearly, it belonged to me, right? Glad we all agree.

Freshly roasted peanuts are featured in this bread. Since we don't all have a peanut man, we'll use our toaster ovens to get us some fragrant, roasted peanuts. The bread calls for a preferment (the theme of this month's Bread Bakers) so you'll have to do some advance planning. Be sure to check out the source recipe. Steve over at Breadcetera got this from the 2005 Coupe du Monde Boulangerie winning team. It's an 84% hydration bread. Bread at that high a hydration requires some skills. I'm not there yet so I reduced it to a bit under 70%. Even if the high hydration isn't your thing, be sure to visit for his beautiful loaf that he shaped like a peanut. Also, he has great lessons on mixing and hydration over there.

Also, be sure to visit the other Bread Bakers and see how they used their preferments. Thanks for hosting, Karen!

Peanut Bread 

20 grams all purpose flour 
165 grams whole wheat flour 
1/8 teaspoon yeast 

Final Dough 
40 grams peanuts
All of the preferment 
365 grams all purpose flour 
1/2 teaspoon yeast 
2 teaspoons salt 
255 grams water 


Mix the preferment ingredients together until thoroughly combined then set aside at room temperature for 12 hours. 

Roast the peanuts in a toaster oven at 350F for 5-10 minutes or until browned and fragrant. Cool then ground. Don't turn it into peanut butter!

Combine the preferment, flour, yeast, salt, and 80% of the water. Mix until all the ingredients are incorporated and the dough starts pulling away from the sides of the bowl. Next, slowly, add the remaining water and then continue mixing until the water is incorporated - about 5 minutes. Finally, add the ground peanuts and mix for about 3 minutes or until they are incorporated. 

Place the dough in an oiled container to bulk ferment for 2 hours. After 30 mins, stretch and fold the dough. Repeat 30 minutes later then leave the dough for the next hour. 

After the dough has fermented, divide the dough into two pieces. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes and then shape each piece into boules. Allow the boules to proof for 45 minutes or until almost doubled. 

When the boules are almost ready, preheat the oven to 450F. Bake for 30 minutes or until each boule registers approximately 200F. Cool and enjoy. 






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  1. Oh, I've never had a bread with peanuts in it before. My husband would love this. Can't wait to try this recipe.

  2. Hmmm, I love peanuts and I have made bread with peanut butter so I am sure I would love this as well. Thanks for sharing.

  3. I love the ground roasted peanut flour in the bread! All you need is a little jam and you're set!

  4. Interesting bread with peanuts. Something I'd love to try as hubby is nuts about peanuts!

  5. That is a very very interesting bread with peanuts. We are a peanut loving family -- will have to try this bread some time.

  6. I could almost smell those roasted peanuts as you described them. This bread sounds amazing and I just love all of the entries this month!