Cider and apple bread

Mon, 15 May, 2017

⯆ JUMP TO RECIPE

Cider and apple bread

Servings: 1 large loafTime: 4 hours plus overnight fermentation

Tags: fruit, bread, autumn, french

INGREDIENTS

250g (2 cups) wholemeal flour
175g (1 1/3 cup) strong white bread flour
75g (2/3 cup) dark rye flour
13g (1 ¾ tsp) fine sea salt
15g fresh or 1 ½ tsp instant yeast
415g (1 ½ cup) apple cider at room temperature
165g green apples (1 large Granny Smith apple), peeled and finely diced

METHOD

1. This method makes the dough the night before the baking for an 8 hour or longer cold fermentation.

2. Mix the flours in a large bowl or the bowl of a standing mixer, add the salt and crumble in the yeast. Pour in the cider and mix to rough dough with a spoon or with a dough hook attachment on a standing mixer. Now continue in the standing mixer or turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead by hand. It will take about 10 minutes in the mixer and 15 or thereabouts by hand. In both cases aim at the dough to become smooth and bouncing off the sides of the bowl – or stop sticking to your hands. Cover the dough in the bowl with cling film and place in the fridge for 8 – 12 hours.

3. Remove the bowl from the fridge first thing and bring it to room temperature – it will take about 2 hours. Turn it out onto a floured surface and flatten it with floured hands. Sprinkle some apples on the dough and fold it over. Flatten it again, flouring your hands if necessary, and repeat the process until you’ve used up the apples. Make sure the apples have mixed into the dough and there are no sir pockets surrounding them. Shape the dough into a ball and return to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover it with cling film and leave in a warm place to double in volume, for 1 - 1 ½ hours.

4. Turn it out again and shape into a tight ball. Place it in a floured proving basket, banneton or a bowl lined with a linen cloth, seam side up. Cover it loosely with a tea towel and let it double in volume again for about 1 hour, while you place a baking stone, a clay cloche or a heavy baking sheet in the oven preheated to 220C/425F/gas 8. Let it heat up for at least 20 minutes.

5. Turn the dough out onto the stone in one swift move (better to remove it from the oven for this), slash twice across the top with a moistened serrated knife and bake for 35-40 minutes until the bread is deep brown. Cool it on a wire rack.