Apple Braid

We were having a spontaneous food day at work. So with it being on such short notice I thought...okay...do I want to be a part of the chip and salsa group? Yeh...no. Ryan suggested an apple braid recipe that he saw on Pinterest. I checked it out and thought it was a fabulous idea. It was actually SUPER easy to make. It was also a HUGE hit with my co-workers. This is one of those recipes that looks really fancy, and everybody thinks you slaved away at it. The only one that actually broke a sweat was my Kitchenaid mixer.

Recipe altered from Eat Live Run

For the Apple Filling (I used my homemade pie filling that we canned)

3 medium-size Granny Smith apples
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons lemon juice

For the Bread

2 1/2 cups bread flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon instant yeast
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup warm water
2 1/4 teaspoon vegetable oil

For the Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk or water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Apple Pie Filling (I used homemade canned pie filling)

Peel, core , and slice the apples into thin slices, then cut the slices in half. Toss the apple pieces with the sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Bake the apple filling in an 8x8 baking dish or 9 inch pie plate for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

The Bread

While the apple filling is baking, begin preparing the bread dough. Mix the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Add the water and oil and mix the dough for 6 minutes using an electric mixer on medium-high speed.

Spray a smooth clean surface with cooking spray and turn the dough out onto the surface. Knead the dough briefly to give it a smooth surface. Spray a rolling pin with cooking spray and roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about 12-inches by 16-inches in size. Lift onto a greased baking sheet.

Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut each side into strips about 1-inch wide down each side, leaving the cetner third of the dough uncut. Spread the apple filling down the middle third of the dough. Fold strips of dough into the center, crisscrossing the filling by alternating stifps from each side. Lightly press ends to seal, and straighten out the braid with your hands, if necessary, to straighten.

Bake the braid in the oven for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let the braid cool for several minutes.

The Glaze

Wisk together the glaze ingredients in a small bowl until blended and smooth.

Brush the glaze in a thick coat over the entire surface of the apple braid while it's cooling. Carefully transfer the braid to a cooling rack set on a baking sheet (to catch the drips) and to finish cooling and prevent the bottom of the braid from becoming soggy. Slice and serve.