Savory hazelnut bread (vegan)

This has become our favorite bread from the moment we first made it. Even from before it was completely baked we decided this would become our favorite bread, because the smell of toasted hazelnuts and fresh hot bread that was sneaking out through the oven's door was so tantalizing we knew there could be no going back after tasting this.

It's not complicated at all to make, you just have to be patient enough for the rising time. It's perfect warm even by itself, it's a dream come true when slathered with a little butter and a pinch of salt, and it's the perfect accompaniment to stews and soups.
We had it with a cream of wild mushroom soup and the combination of the two flavors was fantastic:

Anyway you plan to serve it, I definitely recommend having it as fast as possible. It will be delicious with anything you choose to match it with. :)

Last year: Fettuccine Alfredo (Italian).



Ingredients (makes 2 small loaves):

• 100 g hazelnuts 
• 300 ml lukewarm water
• 7 g dry yeast (1 satchel)
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 500 g wheat flour (type 1050)
• 1-2 tablespoons cornmeal for dusting

Lightly chop the hazelnuts and place them in an ovenproof dish.

Heat the oven to 200 degrees C and roast them in that dish for 10-15 minutes, stirring once in a while so they don't get burned.
While the hazelnuts roast, dissolve the yeast and the sugar in the water. Put the flour in a large bowl, mix it with the salt and then pour the yeast water over it. Mix it into a dough for 1-2 minutes. When the hazelnuts are done, pour them on top of the dough:

Mix the dough with the roasted hazelnuts until everything is folded in. Let it in the bowl to rise for 1 hour:

After one hour gently push the dough down and mix it some more. Divide it in halves and give each half a round bread shape. Put them on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Dust their base and their tops with a bit of cornmeal:

Let the breads rise for one more hour. When you're ready to bake them, preheat the oven to 180 degrees C and put them in. Bake the breads for 30-35 minutes.
Take out and allow to cool a bit:

Slice and dig in! :)