This recipe I found in Bernard Clayton’s New Complete Book of Breads. This is my slightly modified version since I don’t care for nuts in my bread and adjusted the apple-y ingredients to my taste. The biggest surprise was that even though I halved it it still came out to be two loaves! If I had made the proportions of the original I would have had enough for four loaf pans. I don’t even own four! This is my halved version that will make two loaves. The bread texture is very tender and soft and is a nice compliment to the cooked apples.

Chopped Apple Bread

Dough:
* 3-1/4 to 3-1/2 cups flour
* 2-1/4 tsp dry yeast (1 package)
* 1 tsp of salt
* 1/4 cup powdered milk
* 1-1/4 cup hot water (120F-130F)
* 1-1/2 tbsp shortening

Apple Mix:
* 2 cups chopped apples
* 1 egg, lightly beaten
* 1 cup raisins (soak in hot water to plump up)
* 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
* 1 tbsp ground cinnamon

Grease or line two 9″x5″ loaf pans with waxed paper.

In a bowl combine 1-1/2 cups flour with the dry ingredients. Pour in the hot water and stir in the shortening. With strong strokes beat the batter 100 times by hand or for 2 minutes with dough hook in a mixer. Add flour, 1/2 cup at a time, to make a dough that can be lifted from the bowl and placed on the work surface, or lift in the mixer bowl under the dough hook.

If by hand, turn the dough onto the work surface and knead with a push-turn-fold rhythm. The dough will become elastic and smooth. If it is sticky, add sprinkles of flour. If under the hook, the dough will form a ball around the dough hook as it revolves. Knead for 10 minutes. If soft dough clings to the bottom third of the bowl add flour. Ideally, there should be a spot of dough, about the size of a 50-cent piece, adhered to the bottom, which indicates that the dough is neither too wet or too dry.

Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and set aside to double in volume, about 1 hour.

Punch down the dough and place it on the floured work surface (cutting board is best to protect the work surface). Roll and press the dough into an 18″ square, about 1/2″ thick. Let the dough rest for a few moments.

Spread the chopped apples uniform over the surface of the dough. Pour the beaten eggs over the apples. Add the raisins. Sprinkle on the cinnamon and brown sugar.

Fold the dough into a package. Using a large knife, chop the dough with random blows into pieces about 1″ in size. Uniformity is of no great consequence. When the apple dough has been well chopped, toss into the loaf pans, two-thirds full.

Cover the pans with wax paper and put aside to rise slightly above the edge, about 40 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375F 20 minutes before baking.

Place in the oven and bake until right golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Turn out the hot bread with care onto a metal rack to cool. It will be somewhat fragile while hot.