Walnuts:

1. In the morning on the day you plan to bake the bread, spread the walnut halves in a single layer on a cookie sheet and toast them in a 400F oven for 8-10 minutes. Watch them carefully so they don’t burn! They’re done just at the moment you begin to smell them. Set aside 50 grams onto a plate to cool. Using a very sharp knife, finely chop the other 50g or grind in a blender or food processor.

Mixing the dough:

1. Pour the scalded milk into a large mixing bowl. Immediately add butter, honey, salt, and powdered ginger and whisk until the butter has melted and the honey is incorporated.
2. Add flours, instant yeast, ground flax seeds, and ground walnuts.
3. Stir everything together with a wooden spoon or Danish dough whisk to create a rough dough. Add the extra 30 grams of water if needed.
4. Knead in the bowl (or use your electric mixer’s instructions for kneading) until the dough is smooth, “elastic, and no longer sticky”.

Proofing:

1. Cover the bowl with a plate and allow to proof in a draft-free area (oven with only the light turned on is ideal) until the dough has doubled.

Prepare the pans:

1. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Walnuts and Shaping:

1. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board. Roll into a ball.
2. Cover with a clean tea towel and allow to rest for 20 minutes.
3. After rest, flatten the ball into a disc and even divide the rest of the walnut halves on top, “pressing the nuts in slightly”, then roll the dough to form a log.
4. Join the ends to make a ring, then place the log seam side down on the parchment paper.
5. Cover with a tea towel and allow to rise in a draft-free area until the ring has almost doubled.

Baking:

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Just before putting the bread in the oven, score it with a lame if desired, then spray the top liberally with water.
3. Put the bread into the oven and let it bake for 15 minutes, then turn the thermostat down to 350F.
4. After 35 minutes, brush the top of the loaf with milk or cream.
5. Continue baking for about 10 more minutes until the loaf is nicely browned and has reached an internal temperature between 200F and 210F (the bread sounds hollow when knuckle-rapped on the bottom).

Cooling and Finishing:

1. Remove the bread from the oven.
2. Allow the bread to completely cool on a footed rack before cutting into it. It’s still baking inside!