Chunky Apple Yeast Bread

I love anything with apples in it.  As a matter of fact, if it's a choice... apples will beat out chocolate.  

Too bad nobody makes any of the apple desserts taste great.  It's a sign of the times.  Even good restaurants don't make their own...they order it frozen from ... somewhere..... horrible.  The last 3 times I've ordered a simple apple dessert with ice cream or whipped cream on it...the only thing I ate was a bit of topping after the first bite.  We rarely eat out, and so for me...a huge disappointment.

In my mind bread is not really a dessert...but this one could be eaten with a fork and have some ice cream or whipped cream on top .... just saying..... 

It's a bit soft; sort of like a pull apart bread.  Lots of apples.  And, a lovely soft brioche-like bread... she mentioned having it toasted...but, I think my loaf would have probably fallen apart in the toaster. 

This recipe is from a blog called Seasons and Suppers.  She has lots of lovely recipes for everything... I've tried two and so far ... a big thumbs up from me.  The other one was Easy Cream of Mushroom Soup.  Loved it.  I added a few more ingredients...and, it was so good.  It wasn't ready in the 20 minutes she claimed... but within an hour we had a delicious soup for lunch!

The recipe makes 2 loaves ... and, it made a huge mess in my kitchen .. well, it didn't ....    I did.  I had to stop in the middle to deal with lunch and, then..hurry up to keep on track and schedule..and, well ... next time it will be much easier as I know exactly what I am dealing with.  The patting and rolling out took a lot longer than I thought it would... and I used every available surface in my kitchen to make it happen.

    

After spreading the apples on the rectangle of dough, rolling it.. then, cutting it into pieces and then again down the centre ..you scoop up the bits and just plop them into the tins.  The egg yolk in the apples makes it pretty slippery and, the dough separates from the apples ..... and.... .... and it is a bit messy by then... but...look at this lovely rustic looking loaf...

Maple Syrup glaze...... 

If you love apples ..... this is for you !!

Baking day ...

A few weeks ago Katherine posted a recipe for a fresh apple cake and I was eager to give it a try. I don't know what made me think it was a loaf... back to basics : read the whole recipe first. Probably it was just me...and the fact that I like loaves...prefer them actually, unless it is carrot cake. But this is a large cake. 9 X 13 large as a matter fact. Here is a little slice for you. I absolutely could not make myself use the 2 cups of sugar it called for.... .. I opted for only 1, and it was still plenty. I also added a few more spices.... quite yummy. Tx Katherine.











It was a baking day.... apple cake.... some banana choc-chip muffins for the freezer....












and then... pizza.

Fresh Apple Cake

Ingredients:

4 cups finely chopped, peeled apples

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 beaten eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. baking soda

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Butter (or spray) a 13x9x2 inch baking pan.

Combine apples and sugar. Add oil, eggs, and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and soda. Add to apple mixture; stir until just combined. Stir in nuts. Pour into prepared pan. Bakeat 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Cool completely in pan. This cake is very moist!

Spiced Apple Cobbler

Peel, core and chop enough apples to fill a 2 quart casserole (about 6 or 7 apples) I like McIntosh apples best.

Put them in a big bowl, add a few squirts of lemon juice, some sugar, (about 2 tbsps. or to taste), and some sprinkles of ginger, All spice, nutmeg, and cinnamon... (all to your own taste). Mix well... taste a chunk of apple to see if it is enough spices for you ..... add a bit more if necessary...and mix well again.

Butter the casserole dish; fill with the apples...dot some little dabs of butter here and there on top of some of the apples...put on spoonfuls of the sweet biscuit mix which follows.

Sweet Biscuit Dough Recipe

1 cup flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp. salt

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup milk

Granulated sugar for sprinkle

In a bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter finely. Add milk all at once, stirring just until mixture forms a soft, sticky dough. Using large spoon, drop dough in heaping spoonfuls, evenly spaced, on top of fruit. Once you have it on ..spread it out a bit.. Sprinkle lightly with sugar. Place dish on baking sheet in case of bubbling over. Bake in 375F (190C) oven for about 40 mintes or until topping is golden brown and fruit is bubbling. Serve warm. A dollop of vanilla ice cream goes well with this.

Spiced Apple Cobbler

Last night I peeled apples ...

mixed them with spices, little dabs of butter ..

measured dry ingredients into a bowl ... cut in the butter til it was "fine crumbs"












topped my apples with a rustic biscuit crust and baked it til it was a lovely shade of golden brown ....


.... this is the part I love....... now I get to eat!











I will post the recipe soon ......