Apple Challah Bread
 
 
Makes 1 9" round loaf
Ingredients
Dough:
  • ½ cup water
  • 2½ teaspoons active dry yeast
  • ¼ cup honey, divided
  • 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 to 3½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
Apple filling:
  • 2 medium unpeeled apples, cored and cut into ¾" chunks
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Finish:
  • 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
  • Turbinado sugar (for topping, optional)
Instructions
Make the dough:
  1. In a large bowl, heat water until warm - about 30 seconds in the microwave should do. Add the yeast and 1 tablespoon honey. Whisk together until thoroughly combined and let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes.
  2. Add the remaining honey, vegetable oil, eggs, 3 cups flour and salt and stir to combine. Continue adding flour, 2 tablespoons at a time, until dough comes together to form a shaggy ball; it should be tacky but not sticky. Then knead the dough by hand (or with a dough hook attachment) until it’s smooth and elastic - this will take about 10 minutes (or less if using a stand mixer). Shape dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let it rise until doubled in size, 1-2 hours.
Make the apple filling:
  1. Toss the apple chunks with granulated sugar and cinnamon.
Shape and bake the bread:
  1. Lightly grease a 9" springform pan.
  2. After the dough has risen, gently deflate and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll out dough to a 10"x8" rectangle.
  3. Spread half of the apple filling in the center third of the rectangle. Fold one short edge of the dough over the apple filling to cover it and pat down firmly. Spread the remaining apple filling on top of the folded-over dough. Fold the other short edge of the dough over the apple filling to cover it and pat down firmly.
  4. Using a serrated knife, cut dough in half lengthwise. Then cut each half into 8 equal pieces. It's OK if the apple chunks and their juices ooze out and the dough stretches and sags.
  5. Lay the dough pieces, cut sides up, in the pan. Apple pieces will fall out during this process; simply nestle them between the dough pieces once they are all in the pan.
  6. Cover challah with a clean kitchen towel and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
  7. About 15 minutes before dough has finished rising, adjust oven rack to lower position and preheat to 325 degrees.
  8. Brush top of risen challah with egg wash. Sprinkle generously with Turbinado sugar, if using, and bake for 55-60 minutes until golden brown.
  9. Remove challah from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Then remove ring and transfer challah to a wire rack. Let cool slightly before serving.
Recipe by Two of a Kind at http://www.twoofakindcooks.com/apple-challah-bread/