Ingredients
- DOUGH
- 369 369g 390g Pastry Flour Blend or 390g King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 43 43g 43g potato flour OR dried potato flakes
- 14 14g 14g granular lecithin (optional)
- 35 35g 35g granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 1 1/2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 1/4 1 1/4 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 43 43g 43g butter
- 1 1 1 teaspoon vanilla extract OR Buttery Sweet Dough Flavor OR Princess Cake & Cookie Flavor
- 1 1 1 large egg
- 227 227g 227g room-temperature or lukewarm milk
- FILLING
- 99 99g 99g granulated sugar
- 21 21g 21g Instant ClearJel® powder or King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 1 1 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 170 170g to 340g peeled, grated apple (283g to 340g whole apples)
- 14 14g 14g lemon juice
- GLAZE
- 113 113g 113g glazing or confectioners' sugar
- 1 1 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 7 7g to 14g 56g to 85g 56g to 85g heavy cream
Preparation
Step 1
To make the dough: Whisk together all of the dry ingredients , then add the butter, flavor, egg, and milk, mixing until a shaggy dough forms. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes; this resting period allows the flour to absorb the liquid fully, making it easier to knead.
Knead the dough for about 10 minutes; it should feel slightly sticky and soft. Add a couple of tablespoons of water if the dough feels firm or dry. Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover the bowl, and let the dough rise until it's almost doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. The amount of time this takes will depend on the temperature of your kitchen; yeast works the fastest at about 85°F, but we prefer the flavor the bread gets from a longer, cooler (about 70°F) rise.
To make the filling: While the dough is rising, make the filling. Whisk together the sugar, ClearJel, and cinnamon. (If you substitute flour for the ClearJel, the filling will be runny at first, but will firm up when baked.)
Toss the grated apple with the lemon juice, then add that to the ClearJel and sugar mixture. Mix well, and set aside.
To assemble the loaf: Gently deflate the risen dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured or greased work surface. Fold it over once or twice to remove the excess gas. Divide the dough in half. Roll the first half into a 10" x 12" rectangle. Spread half the filling over the rolled-out dough, leaving a 1/2" margin clear of filling along all sides.
Starting with a long side, roll the dough into a log, sealing the edge. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut the log in half lengthwise. Place the half-logs, filled side up, side by side on a well-greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Keeping the filling side up, twist or "braid" the two logs together, working from the center to each end. Pinch the ends together. Repeat with the second piece of dough. Cover the twists lightly, and set them aside to rise for 1 to 2 hours.
To make rolls: Follow the directions above to the point where you've rolled the dough into a log. Repeat with the remaining piece of dough, then cut each log into 1" slices. Place the slices cut side up in well-greased or parchment-lined pans, placing them close together (though not touching) for soft-sided rolls, or about 2 inches apart for crustier rolls. Allow the rolls to rise until they're puffy.
To bake the bread: Bake the loaves in a preheated 350°F oven for 30 to 35 minutes (or the rolls for 18 to 20 minutes), until they're lightly browned. Check the loaves after 20 minutes and tent with aluminum foil if they're browning too quickly around the edges. Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool for about 1 hour before glazing and serving.
To make the glaze: Mix together all of the glaze ingredients. Drizzle over the loaves or rolls once they're cool.