I spent last weekend in Kansas City visiting Alex and Lauren, my former roommates. We spent most of the weekend eating, and, unusually for us, only ended up having time to cook one thing ourselves. Luckily, it was delicious!

Custard and cupcakes. Alex is working his best photogenic face, clearly.

After getting some apples at a huge farmers market, we decided to change a blackberry & apple bread recipe I’ve had bookmarked for ages to just apple.

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 1 small apple, peeled and cut into small chunks
• 1/2 cup lukewarm milk
• 1/2 teaspoon plus 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into small pieces

Egg Wash:

• 1 tablespoon cream
• 1 large egg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Streusel Topping:

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces

Topping:

• 3 small apples peeled and cut into thin slices

Heck of a list, but you probably actually already own most of it…

Start by putting the milk, 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, and the yeast in a large bowl and stirring lightly to combine. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until the yeast has started foaming. Add the flour, remaining sugar, and salt and beat with a mixer until combined.

It will still be quite dry at this point.

Add the egg and beat, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead in the butter until the dough is soft and silky.

Knead in the apples, adding another small handful of flour if the moisture from the apples makes the dough very sticky. When done, put the dough in a greased bowl.

Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled, 1 1/2-2 hours. Ours didn’t actually seem like it had grown a ton to me after 2 hours, but I was able to pull off the next step, so I guess it was ok.

Spread the dough out over a greased and floured or parchment-lined jelly roll pan. You could roll it out on a floured surface, but i basically just shaped it into a rough rectangle in my hands and then pushed it around the pan as needed to fill in gaps.

Cover, and let rise until doubled – 45 minutes to an hour. Again…ours rose, but I don’t think it ever doubled…

While the dough is rising, make the streusel by combining the sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut the butter into the mixture with a pastry blender or forks.

Set aside the streusel and whisk together the egg wash ingredients. Spread the egg wash evenly over the surface of the dough.

Spread the apples evenly over the egg washed dough.

Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the apples.

Bake at 350 for 35 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool, or just scarf right away!

I’m glad I finally tried this recipe, even if we didn’t follow the original too closely!

Apple Bread

Adapted from Joy of Baking.

Dough:

• 1 small apple, peeled and cut into small chunks
• 1/2 cup lukewarm milk
• 1/2 teaspoon plus 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into small pieces

Egg Wash:

• 1 tablespoon cream
• 1 large egg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Streusel Topping:

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces

Topping:

• 3 small apples peeled and cut into thin slices

Place the milk, 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, and the yeast in a large bowl and stir lightly to combine. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until the yeast has started foaming. Add the flour, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and salt and beat with a mixer until combined. Add the egg and beat, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead in the butter until the dough is soft and silky.

Knead in the apples, adding another small handful of flour if the moisture from the apples makes the dough too sticky. When done, put the dough in a greased bowl and cover. Let rise in a warm place 1 1/2 – 2 hours until doubled.

Spread the dough to cover a greased and floured or parchment lined jelly roll pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, 45 minutes to an hour.

While the dough is rising, make the streusel by combining the sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut the butter into the mixture with a pastry blender or forks. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk together the egg wash ingredients, then brush over the dough. Cover with a layer of apples. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the apples and bake for 35 minutes. Cool on a wire rack until ready to eat.