Caramel Apple Bread

Caramel Apple Bread - by Donna Currie, from SeriousEats.com, as seen on thekitchn.com

Ingredients:

• 1 cup apple cider
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 13 1/2 ounces (about 2 1/2 cups) bread flour, divided, plus more as needed
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 pound Jonathan apples (about 2 medium)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• About 7 ounces dulce de leche
• 1/2 cup peanuts, chopped
• 1 tablespoon butter, softened (optional)

Directions:

In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the apple cider and instant yeast. Set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add about 2/3 of the bread flour and stir to combine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 1 hour.

Add the remaining bread flour, sugar, and salt. Knead with the dough hook on low speed until the dough starts to become elastic, about 5 minutes.

Peel one apple, and working quickly so the apple doesn't go brown, grate it directly into the bowl, stopping at the core. Continue kneading dough on low speed until the apple is completely incorporated. Add flour as needed, until dough is supple and elastic, but no longer sticky (about 1/4 cup). Add olive oil and continue kneading until the oil is completely incorporated. Form the dough into a ball, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, and return to bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside until doubled in volume, about one hour.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray or line with parchment paper.

Add dulce de leche and peanuts to small nonstick pan and heat slowly on medium-low heat. As the caramel begins to melt, peel remaining apple, core, and cut into 1/4-inch dice. Add to caramel immediately before apple begins to brown. Cook on low for one more minute and remove from heat.

Turn dough out onto floured work surface. Knead it briefly and form into rough square. Using rolling pin, roll dough into approximate 9-inch by 16-inch rectangle. Spread the caramel mixture onto the dough leaving 1/2-inch border along long edges and 2-inch border along short edges (rewarm caramel sauce as necessary if it is not spreadable)

Starting with one of the shorter ends, roll up dough jellyroll style, tucking in sides as you go and ending at the short end hat was left uncovered. Seal seam and the ends, and place in the prepared loaf pan. Cover loaf with plastic wrap and set aside to rise until doubled, about 40 minutes.

Uncover loaf, slash as desired (see note), and bake at 325 degrees until golden brown, about 45 minutes. For a soft brown crust, take the loaf out of the oven about five minutes before it is finished baking, and spread butter over top of loaf. Return loaf to oven and bake for the final five minutes. Cool loaf for five minutes in the pan, turn it out, transfer to a wire cooling rack, and let it cool completely before slicing.

Salted Caramel Brownies

Amelie's Salted Caramel Brownies

- as published in the Oct 2009 issue of Home & Garden

see also this article online

Yields 24 brownies

• 6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cup salted caramel glaze (see below; prepare glaze when brownies are cool)

Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan with butter or cooking spray.

In the top of a double boiler over medium heat, melt chocolate and butter, being sure the water in the bottom of the double boiler does not touch the top pan. Stir chocolate and butter until completely melted. Then stir in sugar. Blend well. Remove from heat.

In a separate bowl, lightly whisk eggs. Stir eggs into chocolate mixture. Then add flour, stirring until completely blended. Spread batter into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes.

Tip: Gelatin is no harder to use -- or find -- than JELL-O. Often, gelatin is "bloomed," that is, sprinkled over cold water to hydrate it, before use to make it easier to blend.

Tip: Don't be afraid of caramel. It just needs attention—it will reach the dark amber stage quickly once it starts to color—and a tall pan to prevent splattering when you add the cream and butter.

Tip: High-butterfat European butter—like the Plugrá brand used at Amelie's—produces a more luxurious brownie and creamier caramel.

Tip: If you love to bake, invest in a digital kitchen scale. It's more precise—and means fewer measuring cups to clean.

Tip: It's all about the chocolate. Baker's unsweetened baking chocolate is fine; Valrhona unsweetened chocolate is excellent.

Tip: Don't overbake the brownies. When ready, a little bit of brownie crumb will stick to a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan.

Completely cool brownies in pan. Pour caramel glaze over brownies and cool until caramel sets. Slice into bars, about 2 inches square.

Salted Caramel Glaze

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed
• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 2 tablespoons powdered gelatin,
• combined with 1/4 cup cold water

In a small saucepan over low heat, warm heavy cream until hot, but not boiling. In a separate tall saucepan, combine sugar and water. Place over medium-high heat. Do not stir as sugar dissolves and mixture reaches a dark amber stage. Add cream, butter, and salt. Stir gently until mixture is smooth and well combined. Remove from heat and add gelatin, stirring to combine. Use immediately.