Apple Scroll Bread

It's fall, and it's time to pick apples.  Delicious, and easy.  Tastes good warm.  I call this scroll bread because the dough is rolled up to look like a scroll.  Make sure to use tart apples and plenty of fresh spices. Kid approved!  




Makes 2 loaves

Bread:

1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted softened butter
3/4 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup warm water (115 degrees)
1 package active dry yeast (2  1/4 teaspoons)
2 large eggs
Approximately 3 cups unbleached flour

Filling:

3 tablespoons unsalted, melted butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
2 tart cooking apples


Bread:

• Scald milk, stir in sugar, butter and salt.  Cool to lukewarm
• In a large bowl, place yeast in water.  Let sit 5 minutes until bubbles and rises
• Add milk mixture and eggs to yeast.
• Stir in half of the flour and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth
• Add enough remaining flour to make a soft, kneadable bread 
• Place dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.  (about 10 minutes)
• Spray a large bowl with nonstick cooking spray and put the dough in.  Turn it to coat all sides
• Cover with a damp towel, and let rise until doubled in size; about 1 hour
• Punch down and place on a lightly floured surface
• Divide the dough in half and roll each piece into an 8 x 12 rectangle

Filling:

• Mix sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in a small bowl
• Sprinkle each piece of the dough with a 1/3 of the mixture
• Form each piece into a scroll by tightly rolling the 8 inch edges to meet into the center
• Make 7 slashes (an inch apart) in each half of the scroll, going about halfway down into the dough
• **Butter two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans
• Add the dough, cut side facing up
• Remove skin and core the apples
• Cut each apple into 14 slices
• Press the slices, edges down into the slashes
• Brush the loaves lightly with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter
• Top with remaining sugar mixture
• Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour
• Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes (or until the tops are lightly browned, and the sides begin to pull away from the pan
• **While hot, gently remove the breads from the pans and place on a wire rack (otherwise, it will stick... trust, me,  I know first hand)
• Serve warm

-Queenie Cuisine