By Martha Rose Shulman
- Total Time
- 40 minutes baking, plus 16½ hours for fermentation
- Rating
- 4(140)
- Notes
- Read community notes
This is a whole wheat version of a classic Norman country bread. Normandy is apple country and apples find their way into many dishes in this region. I came across the bread in “Bread Alone” by Daniel Leader, and have adapted the recipe. The dough ferments overnight in the refrigerator, and after it has come back to room temperature the chopped apples are kneaded in. It goes beautifully with cheese.
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Ingredients
Yield:1 large loaf, about 20 slices
- 7grams (2 teaspoons) active dry yeast
- 50grams (¼ cup) lukewarm water
- 365grams (1½ cups) sparkling cider (such as Martinelli’s), at room temperature
- 250grams (approximately 2 cups) whole wheat flour
- 175grams (approximately 1⅓ cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 75grams (approximately ⅔ cup) rye flour
- 13grams (1¾ teaspoons) sea salt
- 165grams finely chopped green apples (such as Granny Smith or Pippin) (approximately 1¼ cups; 1 large Granny Smith apple)
- Walnut oil or vegetable oil for the bowl
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (20 servings)
294 calories; 22 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 14 grams polyunsaturated fat; 22 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 177 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
In the bowl of a standing mixer, dissolve yeast in the warm water. Stir in sparkling cider. Add flours and salt. Mix at low speed with the paddle attachment just until combined. Change to the dough hook and mix at medium speed for 7 to 10 minutes, until dough is adhering to the hook and slapping around on the sides of the bowl. You may need to hold onto the mixer so it doesn’t bounce around. Dough will be sticky.
Step
2
Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight or for 8 hours.
Step
3
Remove bowl from refrigerator and place in a warm spot. Let dough come to room temperature, which should take approximately 2 hours. Ideally dough should come to 74-78 degrees Fahrenheit
Step
4
Deflate dough with your fingertips and turn onto lightly floured surface. Flatten with your dusted hands and add some of the chopped apples. Fold dough over, flatten again and add more of the apples. Continue to do this, adding flour to your hands and the surface as necessary, until all of the apples have been worked into the dough. Shape into a ball. Rinse and dry bowl, brush with walnut oil and place dough in it, rounded side down first, then rounded side up. Cover with a damp towel and place another towel on top of the damp one. Place in a warm spot to rise until doubled in volume and a slight indentation remains when pressed gently (don’t press too hard or it will deflate), 2 to 3 hours.
Step
5
Deflate dough and turn onto a lightly dusted board. Flour your hands. Dough will be moist because of the apples. Shape into a tight ball and place, rounded side down in a banneton (a lined basket for bread) or a bowl lined with a flour-dusted towel, or rounded side up on a parchment-lined baking peel or sheet (dough will spread out if it is not in a banneton). Cover with a damp towel and let rise until just about doubled, 1 to 1½ hours. Meanwhile, place a baking stone on the middle rack of your oven and preheat oven to 450 degrees for at least 45 minutes.
Step
6
When dough is ready, dust baking stone with cornmeal. Reverse dough onto the hot stone if using a banneton, slide it onto the stone if using a peel, and make two ½-inch deep slashes with a moistened serrated knife or with a razor blade. Place in the oven and spray oven with water. Close oven door and spray again after 3 minutes, being careful not to open oven door for more than a few seconds. Set timer for 15 minutes, then quickly remove parchment if you used a baking peel, and turn oven down to 400 degrees. Bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until bread is deep brown and responds to tapping with a hollow thumping sound
Step
7
Remove from oven and cool on a rack.
Tip
- Advance preparation: The bread keeps for about 3 days. Wrap in a cloth dish towel. You can also double wrap it in plastic and freeze.
Ratings
4
out of 5
140
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Cooking Notes
Susan O
This bread is as fun to make as it is to eat. I felt like I was a contestant on The Great British Baking Show as I folded in the apples. I followed the directions as written with only one change - I substituted room temp hard cider for sparkling cider, which produced a lovely sour flavor. This is large loaf. I may make two next time. Delicious!
David Pillor
Made this bread in a 3 1/2 quart dutch oven, didn't have walnut oil so I used a vegetable blend oil (wilson). Lined the oiled up dutch oven with parchment paper, did the baking at 450 F covered for 45 min. Then reduced temp to 375 F and baked uncovered for another 20 minutes. I think the result was a robust, woody bread with a chewy crust and a tender/fluffy inside (also known as the crumb). The apples in the bread didn't stand out as much as I thought they would, maybe add cinnamon?
Alice
Making this wonderful bread took many hours, but most steps took only a few moments. I put it together in the evening, took it out of the refrigerator in the morning, and did everything else between 4 and 10 PM, interrupting other activities now and then. I don't have a baking stone so used a baking sheet. The bread is wide and not high. Another time I might use a baking dish with sides so it would be taller. The sparkling cider and the mix of flours give it a delightful flavor.
Laura
I followed the recommendation of one reviewer to bake in a dutch oven. I used my large 8" diameter dutch oven and baked at 450 for 20 min with lid on and then reduce the heat to 375 with the lid off and baked for 25 min. It was excellent. It does take a long time to prepare for baking but the actual steps are fast. The dough comes right together and there is very little kneading needed. It's a great thing to do when you know you are spending the day at home. I started the evening before.
Jo
1 chopped apple and 3/4 c. Chopped dried figs. Add cinnamon, etc next time
Ruth
Great recipe! I used my usual technique for slack, multigrain bread. Mix the dough omitting the salt and let it rest for 30 minutes prior to adding the salt and kneading. Do 4 stretch and folds at 5 minute intervals before the initial ferment in the fridge. After that I followed the instructions. I used normal cider because that was what I had on hand and added raisins and walnuts along with the apple.
Susan
I used my Dutch oven for this recipe. I didn’t spritz with water and I didn’t do any slashing because I put it upside down into the pot from the banneton. Turned out beautifully rustic and nicely crisped. I removed the lid of the dutch oven for the last 15 minutes of the bake.
Julia
Made in a preheated Dutch oven, first time we used apples and they didn’t add a ton of flavour, this time I used raisins and it was a lovely bread for weekend brunch.
Kathleen
The flavor was great but I could not get the dough to come into that tight ball in the end. It stayed sticky and loose and thus the final loaf didn't rise too much. It's probably the baker's error but I'm not experienced enough to know what I did wrong or how to fix.
Julia
Made this in an oiled Dutch oven, 450 for 25 minutes with the lid on and another 10 with the lid off and it turned out perfect. Preheat the Dutch oven in the oven first for the nice steam effect and a better crust.
vchagz
We baked this in a 9-inch cake pan to prevent spreading. This is a wet dough and might not hold it’s form on a baking stone. The apples didn’t add much taste. The bread would benefit from an extra 20 minutes at 400 degrees.We used regular apple cider instead of sparkling cider. Overall, the bread crust and crumb had a good texture.
Scott
Very tasty as is. Watch out as it is a wet dough but don’t be afraid it’ll come together and pick up in the oven. Bread is moist but not overly soggy and has a good crust. Like other commenters, I used a dutch oven covered at 450 for 20 minutes then uncovered at 375 for 25. Next time I might see how it turns out using bread flour instead of AP and will toss the apple slices in some cinnamon.
JMF
Any instructions for folks who don’t own a stand mixer?
Laura
I followed the recommendation of one reviewer to bake in a dutch oven. I used my large 8" diameter dutch oven and baked at 450 for 20 min with lid on and then reduce the heat to 375 with the lid off and baked for 25 min. It was excellent. It does take a long time to prepare for baking but the actual steps are fast. The dough comes right together and there is very little kneading needed. It's a great thing to do when you know you are spending the day at home. I started the evening before.
June Davidson
This is a wonderful recipe! It is well worth the effort for the fragrance alone when it comes out of the oven. It has a good crust and a moist, flavorful crumb.
Alice
Making this wonderful bread took many hours, but most steps took only a few moments. I put it together in the evening, took it out of the refrigerator in the morning, and did everything else between 4 and 10 PM, interrupting other activities now and then. I don't have a baking stone so used a baking sheet. The bread is wide and not high. Another time I might use a baking dish with sides so it would be taller. The sparkling cider and the mix of flours give it a delightful flavor.
prof
Easy and so good! Followed the directions exactly, except I didn't have cornmeal so I threw it on the stone without. Had to problems sticking. Great way to use a less than stellar apple.
Ginny Deerin
Way too much work over a long period of time. Life does get in the way. In the end, the bread had a nice crust but where the apples inside there were bits of sogginess.
David Pillor
Made this bread in a 3 1/2 quart dutch oven, didn't have walnut oil so I used a vegetable blend oil (wilson). Lined the oiled up dutch oven with parchment paper, did the baking at 450 F covered for 45 min. Then reduced temp to 375 F and baked uncovered for another 20 minutes. I think the result was a robust, woody bread with a chewy crust and a tender/fluffy inside (also known as the crumb). The apples in the bread didn't stand out as much as I thought they would, maybe add cinnamon?
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