Mulled Spiced Apple Cider Crisp Loaves - NFOB

National Festival of Breads photo

This recipe from the National Festival of Breads contest combines favorite fall flavors for a cozy, all-American dessert bread that will be a family favorite here. 
This recipe by Tiffany Aaron of Arkansas was a finalist in the division of Home Baker. Try it and see if you don't think it reminds you of apple crisp and cinnamon rolls. 
I made it last week and it didn't last long! One loaf for home and one loaf to go to a quilt retreat. It was very popular!

Ingredients

Mulled Spiced Cider

• 8 whole green cardamom pods
• 8 whole cloves
• 4 whole star anise
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, diced
• 1 ½ cups unsweetened apple juice
• ¼ cup pure maple syrup

Dough

• 1 cup warm 2% milk (110°F – 115°F)
• ½ cup dark brown sugar
• 2 (¼ ounce) packages RED STAR® Platinum Superior Baking Yeast®
• 1 large egg, beaten
• ½ cup mashed apple, reserved from cider
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 2 cups KING ARTHUR® Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 2 ½ – 3 cups KING ARTHUR® Unbleached Bread Flour
• 2 teaspoons apple pie spice
• 1 teaspoon salt

Filling & Topping

• 1 ½ cups quick-cooking oats
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• ½ cup butter, melted
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans, divided
• 2 tablespoons KING ARTHUR® Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• ½ cup butter, softened

Glaze

• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 6 tablespoons mulled spiced cider

Directions

1. For mulled spiced cider: Place cardamom, cloves, and anise in a spice bag and securely tie. In medium saucepan, combine spice bag, cinnamon sticks, apple, apple juice and syrup. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer on low 10 minutes. Remove apple, drain well and mash. Reserve mulled spiced cider.
2.  In bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook, combine milk, brown sugar and yeast; wait 10 minutes for mixture to foam (proof). Stir in egg, mashed apple and butter.
3. Mix in all-purpose flour, 2 cups bread flour, apple pie spice and salt. Gradually add enough remaining bread flour to form a soft dough; knead 10 minutes. Transfer dough to greased bowl. Cover; let rise until doubled.
4. For filling: In medium bowl, stir together oats, cinnamon, brown sugar, melted butter and ½ cup pecans.
5. For topping: Measure ½ cup of filling and place in separate bowl. Stir in remaining pecans and flour.
6. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into 15” x 24” rectangle. Spread softened butter on dough leaving ½” border; sprinkle on filling. Starting on 24” side, tightly roll. Cut into two 12” logs; place seam-side down on parchment-lined baking sheets.
7.  Cut each log into twelve 1” slices, leaving slices slightly connected at the bottom. Lay each slice to the side, cut-side up, alternating left and right. Sprinkle on topping. Cover; let rise 30 minutes.
8. Near the end of the rise, preheat oven to 375°F. Bake 25 – 30 minutes. Rotate pan and tent bread with foil after 15 minutes. Bread is done when golden and internal temperature registers about 200°F.
9. Whisk together glaze ingredients and drizzle on warm loaves.                           (My glaze was thinner and more transparent than the one shown in the NFOB photo. I liked being able to see the shape and color of the loaf). 

Yield

2 loaves, 12 servings each.

Here are the photos of my work with the recipe:

The loaves are rolled and cut. Each section is twisted
in an opposite direction. 

The dough had a good rise and made a
good sized loaf. 

It browned quickly. Be sure to use parchment paper under it
and tent it with foil after 15 minutes. 

This recipe is going to be one of my favorites!
I can't wait to make it again. 

Tart Cherry, Pecan and Rosemary Boule - NFOB

National Festival of Breads photo

"This is a perfect introductory artisan style bread with unique flavors that will leave the baker feeling that they really made something special", said Kristin Hoffman of Chicago. Her entry in the National Festival of Breads was the next recipe I made from the collection of this summer's contest.

"Boule" is defined as (1) a metal ball used in the French game of boules, or (2) a round loaf of crusty bread. Indeed the finished loaf did look like a squashed ball, but luckily was very tasty. The traditional boule is often a sourdough bread but for this recipe we use the sponsor company Red Star's yeast.

Ingredients

Dough

• 1 ¼ cups KING ARTHUR® Premium 100% Whole Wheat Flour
• 3 cups, minus 1 ½ tablespoons KING ARTHUR® Unbleached Bread Flour
• 1 2/3 cups water
•  ¾ cup finely chopped toasted pecans
• 1 cup finely chopped dried tart cherries
• 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh rosemary
• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 1 (¼ ounce) package RED STAR® Platinum Superior Baking Yeast®
• 2 tablespoons warm water (110°F – 115°F)
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 – 3 tablespoons white rice flour, for dusting

Directions

Kristin blogs under the name Baker Bettie

1. Combine in large mixing bowl whole wheat flour, bread flour and 1 2/3 cups water. Stir until shaggy and sticky. Do not add extra flour. Cover bowl with greased plastic wrap; let set for 30 minutes.
2. Sprinkle pecans, cherries, rosemary and salt over dough.
3. In small bowl, whisk yeast and 2 tablespoons warm water together. Stir yeast and honey into dough. Incorporate ingredients by stretching andfolding the dough over itself. Gently knead dough in bowl 3 – 4 minutes. The dough remains sticky but avoid adding more flour. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise 30 minutes.
4. To fold dough: Moisten hand, reach underneath the dough, and pull up until you feel resistance. Fold it over top of dough. Turn bowl slightly, making one full turn, to form a tightened ball. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature 1 hour.
5. Dust a round 9-inch banneton basket thoroughly with rice flour. Alternatively, line a bowl with a non-terry kitchen towel dusted with flour. Moisten hand, gently perform another round of folds to form a tightened ball, without deflating the dough. Pinch seam together. Place hand over top of seam and invert bowl; transfer dough to basket, seam-side up. Cover with greased plastic wrap; let rise 60 – 90 minutes.
6. Position oven racks in center and bottom. Place baking stone on bottom rack and preheat oven to 425°F for a minimum of 1 hour. To check if loaf is finished rising: press finger in dough, ½-inch deep. If dough springs back immediately it needs extra time. If dough springs back slowly, loaf is ready.
7. Gently tip the dough out onto a piece of parchment. Score top with a lame or very sharp knife in a tic-tac-toe slash or cross-hatch pattern.
8. Transfer dough on parchment and place into a cold, 4-quart Dutch oven. Cover with lid and bake on center rack 35 minutes. Remove lid and bake 5 – 15 minutes, until crust is dark and crispy and internal temperature is 200°F – 205°F. Cool on rack before slicing.

Yield

1 large loaf, 20 servings.

The following photos are my process:

Adding pecans, cherries, rosemary and salt to the dough.

After folding in the ingredients, the dough rises
in a towel lined bowl. 

The bread is baked on parchment in a dutch oven.

After baking it is dark and crispy. 

The process made a yummy hearty bread.