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Apple Cider Cranberry Bread

YIELDS
2 large loaves
PREP
1 Hr 20 Min
CHILL TIME
8 Hr
COOK TIME
30 Min

Real apple cider, fresh fruit, and nuts make this scrumptious bread perfect for autumn or anytime. Our Apple Cider Cranberry Bread will look beautiful in your holiday bread basket, too!

What You'll Need

  • DOUGH:
  • 4 1/2 teaspoon Fleischmann's Rapid Rise Yeast
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup apple cider
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 6 to 6-1/4 cups bread flour, divided (we used King Arthur)
  • FILLING:
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon peel
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 2/3 cup peeled, cored, and chopped Jonathan apple
  • 3/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries, chopped
  • 3/4 cup toasted pecans, chopped
  • GLAZE:
  • 2 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
  • 1/4 cup apple cider

What to Do

  1. In a mixer bowl fitted with paddle attachment, combine yeast, warm water, and 2 teaspoons sugar. Let stand 10 minutes. Stir in remaining sugar, eggs, cider, salt, lemon juice, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, and 3 cups flour. Beat on low speed 2 minutes.
     
  2. Beat in 3 cups flour. Knead with dough hook until moderately soft dough forms, 5 to 8 minutes, adding additional flour as necessary. Use remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to grease a large mixing bowl. Place dough in bowl; turn to grease top. Cover; refrigerate dough overnight.
     
  3. Remove dough from refrigerator and let stand 30 minutes.
     
  4. To make filling, in a small bowl, mix together butter, confectioners' sugar, lemon peel, cinnamon, and vanilla, stirring with a spoon. Set aside.
     
  5. Punch down dough; divide in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll each half into a 10- x 15-inch rectangle. Divide butter filling mixture evenly and spread within 1 inch of edges of each rectangle. Sprinkle evenly with apples, cranberries, and pecans. Starting from long side, tightly roll up and pinch edges to seal.
     
  6. Using a floured knife, cut ropes lengthwise in half. With cut-sides up, twist two ropes around each other to form a single piece. Place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Pinch ends together. Cover loaves, let rise 30 to 40 minutes, until puffy but NOT doubled.
     
  7. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden and done. To prevent overbrowning, tent loaves with foil for the last 5 minutes.
     
  8. To make glaze, mix all glaze ingredients with a spoon, beating until smooth.
     
  9. Drizzle glaze over cooled loaves. Garnish by sprinkling each loaf with 2 tablespoons cranberries and 2 tablespoons pecans.

Notes

For more scrumptious Festival of Breads Contest-winning bread recipes, try Quick Raisin Granola Breakfast Rolls, Sweet Wheat Bread, and Fruit of the Vine and Rosemary Olive Oil Snack Bread with Pine Nuts.

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