Apple Bread.

First Pumpkin and now Apples?  It must be Fall. I have written a little bit about the Crusty Loaf style Apple Bread in the past, how it was the last bread out of the oven on any given day and it sold like hotcakes. We could barely frost it in time as the customers whisked the loaves out the front door.

Sometimes, I feel nostalgia for that place. Still. Even after 10 years. There was something about working there that I am not sure I will ever replace. I think it was the time in my life, the people I worked with and how everyday I really loved going to work, messing with the doughs, smelling the smells. I just loved it. I dont think I have loved any other job quite as much. I truly am a baker at heart. Even while doing desserts in other restaurants following my stint at the bakery, it just never satisfied me as much as working among all the doughs. I was always thrown off by the plating of desserts and presentation. All I wanted to do was produce the goods, hands in the batter, elbows in the dough. Now that I have been away from the whole work scene for over 2 years, it really has given me time to reflect on what I really enjoy doing and what I hope to do next. I hope to see myself in a bakery again someday. Someday.

Today, I made some Apple Bread. I have posted about it before, but this time, I will hand over a recipe too. This makes a nicely perfumed apple bread perfect toasted with a little butter and honey. Just lightly sweetened by the apples tossed with a little cinnamon sugar, the dough is chopped to pieces instead of shaped into the perfect loaf. So, this is a fun recipe to do with the kiddos. Of course, my kiddo is yucked out these days by anything overly sticky, so he just watched as I chopped the apples into the dough. and then, he told me to wash my hands. (despite this, I still have hopes that he too, will be a future baker)

Apple Bread.

adapted from the Bernard Claytons Book of Breads.

3 1/4 cup flour

2 1/4 teas dry yeast

1 1/2 teas salt

1/4 cup milk

1 cup warm water

2 Tabl butter, melted and slightly cooled

Apples:

1 cup chopped apples, I used granny smith

1 egg

1/4 cup pecans, chopped

3 T brown sugar

1 1/2 teas cinnamon

put water, milk, melted butter and yeast in a bowl to bloom yeast. add flour by the cup and mix to combine. when the last of the flour is added, stir to develop the dough for a few minutes. it should be sticky but clear the sides of the bowl somewhat while stirring. add the salt and stir a couple more minutes to combine.

let rise for an hour.

in the meantime, toss the apples with the sugar and cinnamon.

dust a cutting board with flour, lightly and pour the dough, patting it into a rectangle. (see pics below) then, add the beaten egg to the apples, mix, and pour the apples onto the dough. fold the dough over the apples from either side and with a bench scraper or large knife, go ballistic on the dough. (not sure how better to describe this.) chop until it no longer resembles dough, but a big mess. (see pics)

scoop dough into a 8 by 4 inch loaf pan that has been greased and let rise for 45 minutes.

preheat oven to 375, and bake for 45 minutes.

Dough, just waiting patiently for the apples.

Hello, Apple and cinnamon sugar goodness.

Chop, Chop, Chop..

Look at me now!