Apple Butter and Honey Whole Wheat Bread
Author: 
 
Ingredients
  • 2 packages active dry yeast
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar
  • 2 cups warm water (105 to 115 degrees) divided use
  • ½ cup apple butter (commercial or homemade)
  • ¼ cup butter, melted
  • 2 Tablespoons honey
  • 1-1/2 Tablespoons salt
  • 3-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 2 to 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • Cornmeal for dusting
  • 1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water
Instructions
  1. Dissolve yeast with sugar in ½ cup of the warm water in a large bowl; let stand until bubbly, about 10 minutes. Stir in remaining water, the apple butter, melted butter, honey, and salt. Beat in the whole wheat flour, 1 cup at a time, and enough of the all-purpose flour to make a workable dough, but not too stiff. Turn dough onto floured surface and knead in enough of the remaining flour until dough is smooth, about 10 minutes. Shape dough into a ball and place in a buttered bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double, about 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
  2. Punch dough down; divide dough into 2 parts.* Divide half into 4 parts; roll each part into strands 12-inches long. Braid 4 strands loosely; tuck ends under. Place braid on baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Repeat step with remaining half of dough. Cover; let rise until double, about 1 hour.
  3. *Tip: To make 1 large loaf, divide dough into 4 parts, proceed as directed in step 2.
  4. Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Brush loaves with egg mixture and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees and bake until loaves sound hollow when tapped, about 22-25 minutes. Remove to wire racks.
  5. Note: Bert says to spray the loaves with a mist of water the moment they go into the oven, and repeat the process after 3 minutes of of baking time. I did this and they were perfect in the end,
Recipe by The Culinary Cellar at https://theculinarycellar.com/sphere-magazine-january-february-1978/