Although it is not officially fall yet, slowly the summer heat is becoming a soft shadow and chili mornings and evenings are taking its place. For the last couple of days I saw dew on the flowers in front of my house.
I also see parents rushing at the store doing the last minute back to school shopping.
With or without our approval, fall is on its way, and with it lots of autumn fruit and veggies will take over the farmer’s markets.
Is the time of the year that we are cooking more stews and comforting soup than 5 minutes top salads. Some tend so go back to baking, others, like me, never stopped despite the 105F outside!
Baking, oh, how I love it! I love making fresh bread for my family. I love seeing their happy faces coming down in the kitchen when the smell of freshly baked bread takes over the house.
Few weeks ago my friend Mihaela challenged me to make a yeast bread with apple juice, apple puree and fresh apples.
Last week after a short chit-chat on Facebook about apples and walnuts baked goodies I decided to take matter into my own hands and see what I come up with.
I made scones as promised, but still have to work a little bit on the recipe to get it just right. Maybe by Wednesday or Friday I have it! Fingers crossed!
The yeast bread turned way much better that I expected, definitely my family fall-winter breakfast bread. The apples gave it a unique sweetness paired perfect with the cinnamon. The walnuts gave it a light crunchy bite.
I used fresh apple juice, applesauce and shredded apples. Next time I’m going to dice the apples, the shredded ones kinda melt during baking, making them unnoticeable.
The crust is soft and the crumb is soft and a little wet, like a quick bread.
Let’s turn on the oven…
Start by cleaning two apples and juice them. If you prefer the store bought one, make sure it’s 100% natural otherwise I can’t tell you how the yeast is going to react.
Wait until the juice clears and discard the mousse that forms on top. Heat 1/4 cup of juice (lukewarm) and mix it with the yeast. Wait until it foams.
Meanwhile in a small saucepan over low hear melt butter, sugar and cinnamon. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Remove it form the heat and combine with the applesauce, the rest of the apple juice and add it to your mixing bowl. Add also the yeast.
Slowly add 1/2 cup bread flour at a time until the mixture starts to resemble a dough. Add the shredded apples and walnut pieces. Start mixing again and add more flour until the dough cleans itself from the sides of the bowl.
Take the dough out and place it into a buttered bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let at room temperature (around 73F is best) until it doubles in volume.
Butter a baking loaf pan and shape the dough into a log. Place it in the pan, cover and let it rise again. Preheat the oven.
Bake in heated oven until golden brown. Let it cool slightly into the pan, remove and let it cool completely before slicing it.
Apple Walnut Bread
Ingredients
3/4 cup fresh apple juice
2 tsp yeast
4 tbsp vegan butter (regular butter will work fine also) + more for greasing
2 tbsp Turbinado sugar (sugar in the raw) (brown sugar works too)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 c applesauce
3 cups bread flour
3/4 c packed drained shredded apples
1/2 c walnuts
1 cup bread flour
Directions
Start by cleaning two apples and juice them. If you prefer the store bought one, make sure it’s 100% natural otherwise I can’t tell you how the yeast is going to react.
Wait until the juice clears and discard the mousse that forms on top.
In a small bowl add 1/4 cup lukewarm apple juice and mix it with 2 tsp yeast. Let the yeast proof. Bubbles will appear in no time.
Meanwhile in a small saucepan, over low heat, melt butter, sugar and cinnamon. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Remove from the heat and mix it with the remaining apple juice and the applesauce. Add the mixture to a mixing bowl. Add also the yeast.
With the dough hook on start mixing slowly adding, 1/2 cup at a time, 3 cups flour. The mixture will resemble a wet dough but not too sticky.
Add the drained shredded apples and walnuts. Keep mixing slowly adding some more flour. 3/4 cup to 1 cup depending on how wet you left the shredded apples.
Take the dough out of the mixing bowl and place it into a clean buttered bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled in volume.
Butter a 9X5 loaf baking pan. Take the dough out of the bowl and shape it into a log. Place it into your prepared baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise again. Turn the oven on and set it at 375F.
When the dough is doubled bake it in preheated oven for about 30 minutes until golden brown.
Let it cool slightly into the baking pan and cool completely before slicing it.
Enjoy with your family!
Roxana
{ 51 comments… read them below or add one }
This does look like a nice loaf of bread! By the name, I had thought it was a sweet bread, but am glad it is regular bread. This would be great by itself or with sandwiches-thanks for sharing.
Love love apple and walnut together.In bread friends they will be:) And we will enjoy:) Thanks for sharing:)
i love how this bread has three different layers of apple flavors – apple juice, apple sauce, and grated apples!
I'll swap you some muffins for a slice of bread. I bake all summer too, the heat doesn't deter me. Sorry, but I had to eat that beady eyed little muffin, lol. I knew fall was coming soon when I saw Gravensteins at my local farm stand. Hope you have a great week.
-Gina-
I love the way fall brings about such creativity in you. What a gorgeous loaf of bread, I bet it smelled and tasted just gorgeous! I don't bake bread as much as I bake desserts but now I'm inspired by this creation, so there will be more bread experimentation in my kitchen
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Roxana, thank you for the recipe, the bread looks so fluffy and good, for sure breakfast goodness
Thank you for the link too!
i know summer is almost gone! Out here, it's still very warm in the morning but gets chilly by evening.
I love how nice a pro your bread always looks! This looks double delicious with all that apple and walnut combo u used.
Roxana..this is healthy bread alright and you are genius to use apple juice, apple puree and apple sauce to make this vegan bread ! I will have to try it one day. KIV this and hopefully I can make some apple sauce for this bread
Have a nice week
Elin
Another inventive, creative and seducing recipe! I wish I had the courage to try it… Maybe when it gets colder…
As I'm finally able to do rounds of some of my favourite bloggers…I'm admittedly thrilled to have fallen on this latest post of yours.
Roxana, you absolutely rock when it comes to baking breads like these…it looks perfect in every sense…ok, maybe, I'd agree with you on not shredding the apples next time ;o)
I'm certainly copying this recipe of yours…especially since I'm still very new at making any type of bread at all. Yours looks so doable and I'm actually quite inspired by it.
Good to be back into your experimental and successful kitchen ;o)
Ciao for now and flavourful wishes,
Claudia
Roxana, what an amazing loaf of bread! You really are a wizz with yeast.
Mandy
As you start going into the cooler weather, we are going into the warmer weather – YAY. I am not one to enjoy winter much but I like you bake all year around.
Have a happy week.
I can almost smell the deliciousness of this loaf… hmmmm, love the combination you chose. Great, as everything you do
oh how I wish fall would arrive here in Texas, it has been extremely hot and humid. I love this loaf, a great treat to help fall along!
Mmmmmmm…I would so much love some for breakfast! Sounds wonderful and your loaf looks so pretty too!
I'm gonna have to try this. 
I love fresh bread. This looks so good!
apple and walnut wow i have had that combo looks so delicious, i'm bad with yeast and bread but ur gorgeous pushing me to give it a try!!
I am dying for fall to hurry up and get here! I'm in FL, so it may take a bit longer. I am definitely bookmarking this bread for as soon as it starts to get cool, to help us get in the mood. My mom and I love anything apple!
Party of me is so excited to start using the word "fall" but I'm not ready to say goodbye to summer just yet. Life is moving much more quickly than I ever knew it could.
how about part…instead of party? But a party would be nice
This bread looks so yummy! By the title, I was expecting a quick bread recipe, but I like that it's not! I too, cannot wait for fall!
I always look forward to Fall and a trip back East to see some beautiful colors! Speaking of beautiful, you have really hit the mark with your vegan breads, Roxana!
I use to have this for breakfast all the time cause the nearest grocer sells it! Yours looks exactly like theirs!
The bread looks wonderful! Perfect for the start of fall!
That loaf looks scrumptious!! I don't want to say bye to summer, but I do love fall recipes!
Love homemade bread. Your bread looks great. Yum!
What a gorgeous loaf of bread, Roxana! Love the combination of apples and walnuts!I am noting the recipe, this is on my MUST BAKE-list when it gets a little bit colder here!
This vegan walnut bread looks amazing! What a great recipe!
I assume this was going to be a sweet bread too. I love the idea of this as a multipurpose sandwich breaf
Oh, this is fantastic! Love the subtle sweetness from the apples…mmmmmmm. You make such marvelous breads~
I think you could turn me vegan with every vegan recipe you post! This bread looks great – fantastic crumb, plus, conjures up 'Fall', which I'm looking forward to
I'm longing for fall now.
What a great bread and I loved the three different forms of apple that went into it.
It's definitely chillier around here and I am looking forward to seasonal apples and apple-picking. Great bread, Roxana!
this sounds so yummy! i wish i had this right now:) it looks amazing! thank you for sharing this.
That bread looks so perfect!
The last few days have been cool with a such a nice breeze! I am ready for apple season.
Fall is definitely not in the air here today but I'm already craving for fall dishes and ingredients. This bread sure is a great way to start!
This is stunning! I love fall flavors, but with a cinnamon allergy, I rarely get to indulge. I suspect this might be delicious with a wee bit of ginger and nutmeg. Buzzed!
Love how you rose to the challenge and came up with this bread – nice rise! I love the smell of fresh baked bread, especially as the weather gets cooler.
What a good looking loaf of bread! Sounds great & now I could go for some pumpkin coffee!
I have not tried cooking with Vegan butters yet. The bread turned out so beautifully it makes me want to try. The combination of apples and walnuts sounds both healthy and delicious. I hope you have a lovely day Roxana! So glad you guys are OK!!
Your apple walnut bread looks delicious! I can just smell it. Nothing better than the smell of freshly baked bread!
oh wow – looks amazing!! i love anything apple!
How neat! A yeast bread with apples! I really must try this. I haven't tested my yeast bread skills in a while and fall is right around the corner
I love the sound of this loaf. Apples are starting to make a big presence in the markets now which is perfect! Its also a great way to get me to step into the world of bread-making
Mmmm this sounds so delicious! I love that fall is coming too… the air is perfect and the foods of fall are delicious!
This sounds delicious… I love trying new bread recipes, and this combination is fabulous! I know because I tend to add walnuts to every apple recipe I make! Thanks for this recipe, Roxana
Ahh I miss fall! Its still summer here in the desert until the end of November!! But the hot weather doesnt keep me from baking yummy fall foods like this bread! Sounds soooo good!
What a gorgeous loaf! I really enjoy apple and nut breads but don't find them often…
Wow this looks beautiful. I can't wait to give this a try, I've had apple bread on my mind for a couple of weeks now. Thanks for the recipe!
Roxana, I am always at awe when you come up with vegan breads. I would never know looking at it, ot looks perfect!! Gorgeous and I wish I could have had a slice this am.
Yum, apples and walnut. One of my favorite combinations.
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