Rustic Apple Bread

When I saw this beautiful recipe from Zoe at Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day, I knew we would make it.



Soon.



So we did.
 


And, we loved it.
 


The yeast-bread combo with the delicate apple cinnamon rolled inside was delightful.  And, the leftovers make fabulous French toast. 

Rustic Apple Bread – Adapted from Zoe at Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day
Ingredients

• 3/4 C warm water
• 3/8 T yeast
• 1/8 T sea salt
• 1/4 C whole wheat flour
• 1 3/8 C white whole wheat flour
• 2 medium apples (we used Haralson)
• 1/4 C sugar
• 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 egg + 1 T water

Directions


Start out by making the bread dough.  To do so, combine 3/4 C warm water together with 3/8 T yeast in a large bowl.  Allow the yeast to begin to foam.  Then, add in: 1/8 T sea salt, 1/4 C whole wheat flour, and 1 3/8 C white whole wheat flour.  Mix with a wooden spoon.  Then, cover and allow the dough to rise until doubled – about 2 hours. 

When the dough is doubled, prepare the filling.  Take your two apples and wash them well.  Core them, and slice them thin, but leave the peel on.  Place the apples into a large bowl and toss with 1/4 C sugar and 3/4 tsp. cinnamon. 



Prepare a flat surface with a thin layer of flour.
 


Roll the dough on the floured surface until it’s about 1/8 inch thick, and roughly in a rectangle. 



Arrange the apple pieces over the top of the dough. 



It’s okay if they overlap a bit, but try not to pile them up too high.  If you have any extra apples… enjoy the snack. 



Carefully roll the dough over the apples.



Seal up the edge of the dough once it’s all rolled up. 



Fold up the ends to the center & place the loaf into a lightly greased 8-inch loaf pan, placing the smooth side up.  For great photos on how to do that, see Zoe’s post. 



Cover the loaf with a tea towel or plastic wrap, and allow the dough to raise for 90 minutes. 



Use a really sharp knife and slice a slit in the top of the bread.  When I did this, the center fell a little bit, so you might consider slitting the top of the loaf before the first rise.
 


Preheat your oven to 350.  If desired, paint the top with 1 egg + 1 T water.  Sprinkle with additional cinnamon & sugar.  I did this 2/3 of the way through baking. 



Bake for 50-60 minutes at 350 until the top is lightly browned. 



Keep the bread in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove it and place it on a cooling rack. 



By this time, it will be hard not to eat the bread… but you do need to allow it to cool completely before slicing. 



We LOVED the bread sliced and toasted… oh my!  And, did I mention the leftovers made delicious French Toast?!  It did. 



Thanks, Zoe, for this awesome recipe. 

Linked to: Tasty Tuesday, Totally Tasty Tuesday