Cinnamon Apple Twist Bread

This cinnamon apple twist bread has these things going for it:

1. It's beautiful.
2. It's delicious.
3. It's impressive.
4. It's easy.
5. Your friends will admire you. 

What more do you need?

The dough is rolled up like cinnamon rolls, but instead of slicing the rolled up dough cross wise like the rolls, the dough is sliced lengthwise, and then braided, cut side up, to create this gorgeous swirly bread.

These loaves would be perfect for breakfast or brunch. You could also leave off the glaze if you want something a bit less sweet. I think it would be awesome as a hostess gift with the glaze on the side.

The apple filling calls for Intant ClearJel, which is a thickener that is great to use with fruit pie fillings. I happened to have it on hand (of course I did, because you never know, right?). f you don't have it, you can use flour, corn starch, or tapioca.

Cinnamon Apple Twist Bread

Dough

13 ounces pastry blend flour (or a blend of 65% all purpose and 35% cake flour)

1 1/2 ounces potato flour or potato flakes

3 T sugar

1 1/2 tsp instant yeast

1 1/4 tsp salt

3 T slightly softened butter

1 tsp vanilla

1 large egg

1 C milk

Filling

1/2 C sugar

3 T Instant ClearJel or flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1 C peeled and grated apple (about two large crisp apples), I used Braeburn

1 T lemon juice

Glaze 

2 ounces powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp boiled cider (optional)

1 T apple juice

Instructions

Dough

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix all of the dry ingredients with a whisk. 
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix for about a minute until the dry ingredients are wet. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes. 
3. Knead the dough with the dough hook for 10 minutes. The dough should be slightly sticky, so add a bit of water if the dough is too dry. 
4. Put the dough in an oiled bowl and spray the top with spray oil. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 90 to 120 minutes.

Filling

1. Mix the cinnamon, ClearJel or flour, and sugar in a medium bowl. 
2. Mix the apples and lemon in a small bowl. Toss them with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
3. Cover and set aside.

Assemble the Loaves

1. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and press it down gently to deflate it. 
2. Divide the dough into two equal pieces and roll each into 10 by 12 inch rectangles. 
3. Spread the filling over each piece and roll, starting with the 12 inch side, into logs. 
4. Cut each log in half lengthwise, and keeping the cut side up, twist the two pieces like a braid, and press the ends together and tuck them under (see the loaf above). Repeat with the second log. 
5. Place the twists onto a parchment lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until puffy and nearly doubled, about an hour or two. 
6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the loaves for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for about an hour before glazing. 
7. Using a fork, drizzle the bread with the glaze. 

This recipe was slightly adapted from King Arthur Flour and is the recipe that the bakers of the Avid Bakers Challenge are making for October.