Yeast: Dissolve the yeast in body temperature 37°C (98°F) warm water. Let it stand for about five minutes until it begins to bubble and froth.
Dough: In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, gently whisk together the flours, salt, dried fruits and walnuts.
Stir the oil into the yeast blend and add the liquids to the dry ingredients. Mix the dough until smooth. Approx. 1 minute. (You can also use a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook for this part.) Place the dough in a clean, oiled bowl and leave to stand in a warm spot for 20 minutes, covered with a clean damp cloth. Kneading: After the dough has rested a little, flour a work surface and tip the dough out onto it. Officially, this is where the dough needs to be Kneaded for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. For this specific bread I don't tend to worry about kneading it so much. I generally give it a knead for about a minute to create a nice round dough ball and place it back in the clean oiled bowl. Proving: Cover with a damp cloth and leave to prove in a warm place until doubled in size. For me, this usually takes 45-60 minutes in a warm environment. Sometimes I also place it in the oven with the oven turned off and only the light on.
Line a baking tray with baking / parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Once risen, place the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knock the dough back by folding it in on itself repeatedly for about a minute. Then shape the dough into a ball. Dust your baking tray lightly with flour and place the dough ball in the centre. Dust the top of the bread dough with a little flour and leave to prove again for an hour in a warm place until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 220°C / 200°C fan / 425°F / Gas 7.
Steam: To help the loaf rise and get a good crust, we need to create a little steam at the beginning of the baking process. To do this, I like to place a baking dish/pan filled with 1 cup of boiled water on the bottom shelf of the oven prior to adding the bread.
Using a sharp knife, make a cross in the top of the dough for decoration. By doing this quickly the knife doesn't get caught in the dough and creates nice neat lines.
Baking: Place the loaf on the middle shelf and bake for 20-25 minutes. The loaf should be a nice golden brown, sometimes a little dark, but this is ideal to get a good crust.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack.