The other day I made a similar bread to this one, a Caramelized Cranberry Crazy Bread. It tasted so good, and was such a great success, that I thought I would try another kind. I had apples and pecans handy, so this is what I ended up with. Even better than the cranberry, I think.
Ingredients
For the filling
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste
3 medium apples (about 2 cups), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
juice from 1 lemon
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped (optional)
For the dough
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup lukewarm milk
1/4 cup lukewarm water
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Directions
First make your dough as it will need time to rise. Heat milk and butter in a small saucepan over medium until the butter is melted. Remove from heat and whisk in the water and the sugar. Let cool to a maximum of 110F and a minimum of 100F (check with an instant-read thermometer) and before stirring in the yeast. Set aside for about five minutes or until the yeast is foamy.
Combine flour and salt in a stand mixer with the dough attachment. Add the vanilla and beaten egg to the yeast mixture and turn the mixer on low. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until combined. Turn the mixer up to medium and let knead until a sticky dough has formed. Grease a large bowl, place dough inside, and cover with a dish towel or plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place for an hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Heat the butter and sugar in a large skillet over medium. Once melted, add in the apples and lemon juice. Stir frequently and let cook until a thick and chunky mixture has formed. Remove from heat and fold in the cinnamon and vanilla paste.
Prepare a parchment paper sling for your 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and spray liberally with baking spray.
Turn the dough out onto a well floured board and knead it a few times. Roll out a 12×20 rectangle with the dough (this doesn’t need to be exact). Pour the apple mixture over the dough and spread as evenly as possible. Top with the pecans or walnuts, if using. Using a knife or a pizza cutter, cut the bread into thirds from one end of the long side to the other (about 20×4 pieces). Next, slice the bread into fifths on the short side until the whole thing is cut like a pizza you were slicing into squares. Stack the slices on top of each other and transfer sideways to your prepared loaf pan (the same way sliced bread lays in a pan) and repeat with the rest of the dough. Cover with plastic wrap or your tea towel and let rise for another 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350F. Combine melted butter and honey in a small bowl and drizzle (or use a pastry brush) to pour to glaze top of the bread. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes. Check often and remove from oven once the top is crispy and the inside is cooked all the way through (the inside temperature should be around 180F). If the top is getting too dark, cover lightly with aluminum foil. Let cool for a minimum of 20 minutes in the pan before removing with the sling.
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