Apple Bread for the Senses!

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I came across this recipe when I was looking for what to do with all the apples that were picked with the last tree – it looked delicious, but required more time than I had at the moment.  It has been in the back of my head and I was going to be home for most of the day today – so thought why not.  This bread takes about 4 hours to make – so make sure that you have enough time.  It is delicious and it touches a couple senses, smell, taste and sight – the bread is just beautiful to look at.

Ellijay Style Apple Bread (thanks to PickYourOwn.org)

Bread Ingredients

½ cup warm water (to start the yeast)
2 packets of dry yeast
1 tablespoon of salt
2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
1/2 cup of sugar OR 1/2 cup of  of honey (for sweetness AND the yeast needs it!)
1/3 cup of vegetable shortening (I used butter – had a suggestion to use coconut oil, but I did not have enough left in the jar)
1 and 2/3 cups of hot water
2 medium sweet apples (Red Delicious, Fuji, Gala, etc.), peeled, cored, sliced and diced
3/4 cup applesauce (I used my homemade)
1/2 cup finely sliced, chopped apples (about ⅛ inch thick, and 1/3 to 1/2 inch across; in other words, about the same size and thickness of a nickel)
2/3 cup of powdered milk (I use nonfat dry milk)
7 to 8 cups of all-purpose flour or bread flour (but NOT self-rising flour!)

Icing Ingredients

1 cup powdered sugar (confectioner’s sugar)
1 – 2 Tbls milk
1/4 tsp vanilla

1. Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup warm water and set aside in a warm place to activate the yeast.

2. Combine the salt, cinnamon, sugar or honey, shortening (butter) and hot water in a large bowl and mix well with a large spoon.  I used my kitchen aid bowl.

3. Add the applesauce and stir, add the powdered milk and the yeast mixture – mix well.

4.  I placed the bowl on my Kitchen Aid and started adding the flour, 1 cup at a time. I used about 6 1/2 cups of flour.

5. Core, peel and cut up the apples.

6. I turned the dough out onto a floured board and worked the apples into the dough.  This dough is very sticky and with the wetness of the apples – you need to keep your hands and board well floured!

7. Place the dough in a greased bowl and place in a warm place.  I have a gas stove with a constant pilot – so I placed the bowl in there and covered with a cloth napkin.  Let rise until double in size – about 45 minutes.

8.   Punch the dough down – Stella thought this was way cool.  Cover and let rise again, until double in size, about 45 minutes.

9. Grease and flour 2 standard loaf pans.

10. Take the dough out of the bowl and split in half, then shape into a loaves and place in pans.

11. Place the loaf pans in a warm place (back in the oven) and let rise until the loaves are about 1/2 – 1″ above the top of the pan.

12. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 – 35 minutes.  The crust should be golden brown and if you have a thermometer, insert and it should read between 185 – 200 degrees.

13.  Take the loaves out of the pans and let cool on a wire rack for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

14. Make the icing – put 1 cup of powdered sugar in a bowl, and the vanilla and then 1 tablespoon of milk – mix well.  If it is too thick, add a teaspoon of milk at a time until the icing is a consistency of your liking.

15.  Drizzle the icing over the top of the bread.

16.  Slice with a serrated knife and enjoy.  This bread is not very sweet, the icing bites add a nice sweetness to it. I left one loaf plain and I think it would be wonderful toasted with a little bit of butter!

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