2cupspeeled, chopped appleslike Granny Smith or Honeycrisp
1teaspoonground cinnamon
3tablespoonssugar+ 1 teaspoon, divided
3 ¼cupsbread floursee notes
1cupwhite whole wheat floursee notes
1 ½teaspoonssalt
½teaspooninstant yeast
1 ¾cupswarm water
1cupcoarsely chopped toasted walnuts or pecans
Instructions
Roast Apples
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Prepare a baking pan by lining with parchment paper.
Place chopped apples on the pan and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until just starting to become tender. Remove from the oven, set aside or store until later.
Make Bread Dough
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flours and salt.
In a small bowl, stir yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar into warm water, and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes or until it starts to foam.
Pour liquid into the dry mixture, and mix until the flour has all been absorbed and a sticky dough is formed. Cover the bowl with a sheet of plastic wrap and place it in a warm, dark place to rise for about 8 hours or overnight.
When the dough has risen, turn it out onto a floured surface and work in the roasted apples and nuts, if using by folding and kneading into the dough.
Grease a large stoneware baker, crock or Dutch oven. Shape the dough into a ball and place smooth side up in the oiled dish. Cover, and let it rise for another 2 hours.
When the bread has risen, you may bake it directly in the crock or Dutch oven, covered, or you can transfer it to a baking stone or baking pan and bake "freeform".
Bake Bread
Place it in a cold oven and then set the temperature to 425°F. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until the outside is brown and crisp and the bread sounds hollow when you tap it. (If you have a baking thermometer, you'll want the middle to register to 205 degrees°F.)
If you used a lid for the baking vessel, remove it for the last 5-15 minutes of baking so the crust can brown.
Remove from oven and allow to cool before slicing with a serrated knife.
Notes
If you do not have bread flour or white whole wheat flour, this recipe may be made with all purpose flour only.