Preparation

Put the warm water, maple syrup and yeast into a large mixing bowl. Stir to dissolve yeast and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Mixture will bubble and foam – this means the yeast is alive and active. Put both flours and salt into a separate bowl and stir to blend; reserve. Insert the dough hooks into the Cuisinart® Hand Mixer. Add the oil and 1 cup of the flour mixture to the yeast mixture. Using speed 1, mix until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the walnuts and cranberries and ½ cup of the remaining flour mixture, and mix for 30 to 40 seconds, until the flour is no longer visible. Continue adding the remaining flour mixture, ½ cup at a time, mixing completely, about 30 to 40 seconds, after each addition. The dough at first will be a batter, and slowly, as the flour is added, will form a dough ball that will clean the sides of the bowl. After the dough has formed a ball, knead on speed 3 for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Lightly dust the dough ball with flour and place in a resealable food storage bag. Squeeze out the air and seal. Allow the dough to rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 to 1½ hours. After dough has doubled in size, punch down to deflate and let rest for 5 minutes. Shape into a ball, pinching the ends together on the underside. With the dough ball cupped in your hands, roll, seamed edged down, on the counter, until the underside is smooth. Flatten the ball into a 9-inch round and place on a baking sheet dusted with flour and cornmeal. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until nearly doubled, about 60 to 70 minutes. About 15 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 425°F. Dust the top of the loaf with flour. Using a serrated knife cut a cross in the top of the loaf, cutting about ¼ inch into the loaf. Place the bread in the hot oven and bake for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 375°F and bake for an additional 20 minutes, until the bread is a rich brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Turn the oven off, slide the bread directly onto the oven rack and let stand in the closed, hot oven for 5 minutes to crisp the bottom of the loaf. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Bread slices best when allowed to cool completely before cutting. *Using walnut oil will give a stronger walnut flavor to this bread.