BAKE 21 – JUNE 9, 2020

Yeast Utilized: 1 1/2 teaspoon

Considering the qualified success of my last attempt, I wanted to try a different apple bread recipe. Preferably, one that didn’t require any bakeware I don’t own. This one for Apple Fritter Yeast Bread seemed promising.

The first challenge came in dividing the measurements in two so I could make just one loaf. Oh, man. I just…math is not my strong suit.

But this looks roughly like the right size…

The recipe called for apple cider, which I don’t have, but what do I have? Hard apple cider. I reserved a bit from my flaxseed bread “rolling pin” and used that instead.

.00001% alcohol

While the tiny loaf proofed, I got started on the filling.

That’s a frying pan full of goodness.

I had another substitution to make. The recipe wanted cornstarch and I don’t have it. But doing a bit of research online, I find that ground flaxseed mixed with water can be substituted for cornstarch. Another use for my flaxseed!

I really could have used a mortar and pestle about now.

As the cornstarch was mean to be a thickening agent, the ground flaxseed and water mixture seems to have done the trick.

This smelled so good. I would wear this as a body spray.

I let the filling cool a bit (and cleaned up my kitchen because yowza) and then prepped my proofed dough.

Still so tiny. But it did rise.

Time for another makeshift rolling pin. I only have a few of these left, so it may soon be time to invest in an actual rolling pin. Also, bleh. I don’t like drinking this much. It is nice, however, to be finally clearing out my fridge of things like flaxseed and hard cider. As one does.

It was not an unreasonable time for drinking.

And now, the filling. Fortunately, the recipe warned me that these following stages would be messy, so I didn’t have to worry I was just doing it wrong.

Spread, then roll.

Cut one direction, then the other in a sort of X.

Pictured after one cut. It was a disaster after the second.

Scoop the mess into a parchment-lined loaf pan.

Messy heap loaf.

The baking was a little strange because it was very hard to tell if it was baked through the center. Since everything was sort of flopped in there, I didn’t know where dough was thickest. I ended up adding about 10 minutes to the baking time, with aluminum foil over it to keep the top from browning too much.

Result?

Eh, not bad.

The recipe calling this “sliceable” is laughable (at least at first; it’s much more sliceable on the second and third days), but it’s tasty. A significant improvement over the first apple bread attempt.

I chose not to make the glaze since I still don’t have (and stubbornly don’t want) powdered sugar in the house. My last attempt at mock-icing was just…not great. The rolls were better without it, and I suspected this bread would be too.

I was not wrong.

Oh! Also, possibly another milestone reached? This looks halfway-ish to me. This is pretty much how I’ve been feeding myself since March. Not bad.

To the next bake—–>