Name: Twisted Apple Braid
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 2 cups bread flour; 1 cup whole wheat flour; 1 Tablespoon yeast; 1 Tablespoon oil; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; 1/3 cup sugar; 1 egg; 3/4 cup water; 5 cups of chopped, peeled apples; 1/2 cup brown sugar; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; 2 Tablespoons lemon juice; 2 Tablespoons flour; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon ginger; 1/8 teaspoon allspice; 1/8 teaspoon cardamom; 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1 egg, beaten with a teaspoon or so of milk; A couple Tablespoons of raw (turbinado) sugar

Ingredients

Scale

For the dough:

2 cups bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 Tablespoon yeast
1 Tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup water

For the filling:

5 cups of chopped, peeled apples
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 Tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon cardamom
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla

For the top:

1 egg, beaten with a teaspoon or so of milk
A couple Tablespoons of raw (turbinado) sugar

Instructions

Put the ingredients for the dough in a bread machine (or mixer with a bread hook) and put it on the dough setting.
While you are waiting for the dough, peel your apples and chop them up and put them in a microwave safe bowl with the rest of the filling ingredients. Stir it all up good, then put it in the microwave for 2 minutes. Take it out and stir, then cook for 2 more minutes. If the apples look like they are starting to soften, well, that’s a good thing. If not, then cook them a little longer. Now set them somewhere to cool off a bit. You want them still warm, but not hot when you put them on the bread dough.
When the bread dough is done, roll it out into a rectangle shape on a large floured surface. You may have to let it rest a couple times so it will stretch more. Just make sure you cover it with a clean towel while it’s resting so it doesn’t dry out.
Pour the warm apple mixture down the middle and then cut strips of dough down each side about 1 inch wide, trying to make the same number of strips on both sides of the apple filling.
Now comes the fun part: the braiding! It’s simple, just alternate strips of dough down the middle, twisting each strip and then laying it down in the center, overlaying the strips in a sort of braid. Keep going until you get to the end.
Now put the oven on the lowest setting it will go on (170 F) and when it’s warm, switch it off. Spray the braid with cooking spray, cover, and set it in the oven for 20 – 30 minutes or until it’s puffy.
Whisk together the egg with a bit of milk and brush over the top of the braid, then sprinkle with raw sugar.
Bake at 350 for about 40 – 45 minutes, covering loosely with foil about half the time so that it doesn’t get too browned on top. Let cool just slightly before you cut off slices for your hungry crowd.

Notes

RECIPE SOURCE: http://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/

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