Apple Raisin Cinnamon Ring

Coincidence.

Even though there isn’t such thing as a coincidence, I love it when the stars are in a perfect alignment. Everything feels so right and whatever you’re looking for that day pops out of the blue.

I have been waiting for my dark rye flour to arrive. I actually just need a kilo or two. But since there is no way I can get my hands on that particular flour for such a puny amount, I mail ordered a sack of ten kilos. The seller even asked me whether I have a bakery. No, I do not own one, though it’s cute to have one but later there’d be no time for fooling around. I am just mad for bread.  When it came, I felt like I just got a Christmas present delivered by Santa himself!

Translation: bake the best from good

Then it’s the apples. I happen to have lots of apples in the fridge from my mom in law. So I made apple jams and bottled them up. While I was waiting for the apple jam to thicken, I was browsing for a fast and unique bread recipe because I was planning to get my hands on my rye. No way I’d be making pumpernickel in such a short time. So I found this apple raisin cinnamon recipe at ko-bo.blogspot.com. Looking at the ingredients list with some modification ideas dancing the jig in my head, I went straight to the kitchen and started gathering what’s needed.

makes 2 rings

Ingredients

For the apple filling:

4 apel granny smith, peeled, cored and diced

4 tbs sugar

1 tbs water

20 gr raisins

50 gr cheese, shredded

To Make The Filling:

Combine everything except the cheese in a small saucepan. Cook in low heat until the sugar dissolves and caramelized. Cool and reserve for later.

For the bread:

250 gr bread flour

80 gr dark rye flour

1tsp cinnamon

5 gr salt

4 gr instant yeast

180 ml lowfat milk

20 gr salted butter, melted

How To Make The Bread:

-Mix all the dry ingredients together. Combine the melted butter with milk and pour into the dry mixture.

-Knead until the gluten develops really well and you can easily feel its elasticity.

-proof until it is doubled in size. Depending on your environment and this particular dough, It’d be no less than an hour.

Now let's get to the fun part!

Pic1: After proofing, divide the dough into two and form a ball. Rest for 20 minutes while it's covered with lightly oiled cling film.

Pic2: Roll the dough into a rectangle. Mine up there isn't such a neat rectangle, eh?

Pic3: Make slashes on the top.

Pic4: Put the apple filling and the shredded cheese.

Pic5: Roll em up!

Pic6: Join the ends in a sweet communion *sigh*

-After you shape them, proof for another 40 minutes

-Bake for 30-35 minutes in a 170C oven

VOILA!

I do think it looks more like an over-sized bagel.

I should've waited for it to cool before slicing it. But who could resist such a  saliva-inducing temptation? I am just a mere human, a hungry one may I add.

So, expecting a chewy bagel I was, I sliced it.

Oh good God in heaven!

It melts in my mouth! This bread has fooled me. I did have some cream cheese to spread on it thinking it looked like a bagel, it must have tasted like one, too. But the texture and how the apples soften during baking time and burst in my mouth in every bite are simply astounding.

I might suggest you to not overcook the apples or you'll get a mushy middle. Use not sweet apples for they will turn sickeningly sweet when cooked with raisins and sugar. 

Overall, I'm happy with this one and it'll be a regular in my humble home.

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