Cinnamon Apple Pull-Apart Bread

I first discovered this bread on Pinterest and was drawn to the look of it stuffed into a pan bursting with slices of juicy cooked apples. After further investigation, I found out that the recipe was actually from King Arthur Flour’s website which shouldn’t have surprised me because I love that company and use many of their products.

The list of recipes on their website is also very extensive and every recipe I’ve tried has turned out wonderfully. Three of my favorite products from King Arthur that I absolutely cannot do without in my baking are their Fiori di Sicilia, an extract blend of vanilla and lemon, SAS brand Instant Yeast, and their White Wheat flour which can be found in most grocery stores back in North America.

This is an interesting yet delicious recipe that is perfect for fall when our selection of apples is extensive. The dough is a yeasted one, enriched with eggs, that is allowed to rise, then is cut into slices that are layered with sautéed apples and packed into a loaf pan.

This bread is best served warm as the slices “pull apart” and the apple goodness oozes out, although it was very tasty toasted the next day as well. I’ve only made this bread once so far but do plan to make it again when our family visits. The only change I would make next time is to wait for the bread to fully rise once it is arranged in the loaf pan as I only let it partially rise thinking it would rise more in the oven and it didn’t.

This bread would be a wonderfully addition to a Sunday brunch menu, or as a special treat during the holidays, and the aroma of the cinnamon and apples baking is truly intoxicating!

The Bread Hot From The Oven!

Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele 

Cinnamon Apple Pull-Apart Bread

Cinnamon Apple Pull-Apart Bread

Yield: Serves 6 - 8
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 1 hour

An easy yeasted bread stuffed full of juicy apples.

Ingredients

Filling:

  • 4 Tablespoons (56 grams) Butter
  • 3/4 Cup (159 grams) Dark Brown Sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon Corn Starch
  • 1 Tablespoon Ground Cinnamon
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 4 (About 1 1/2 Pounds) Medium Apples, Peeled, Cored, & Thinly Sliced
  • 1/2 Cup Golden Raisins

Dough:

  • 1/4 Cup (57 grams) Butter, Melted
  • 1/3 Cup (74 grams) Warm Milk
  • 1/4 Cup (57 grams) Warm Water
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1 1/2 Cups All-purpose Flour
  • 1 1/2 Cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
  • 1/4 Cup (50 grams) Sugar
  • 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
  • Pinch of Salt
  • 2 1/2 Teaspoons Instant Yeast

Instructions

  1. In a heavy saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat,
  2. Toss the apples with the brown sugar, raisins, corn starch, cinnamon, and vanilla, then add to the butter and mix well.
  3. Cook, stirring carefully for about 5 minutes or until tender, then set aside until needed.
  4. Whisk together the butter, milk and water in a bowl, then add the eggs and vanilla extract.
  5. In another bowl, stir together the two flours, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and yeast.
  6. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir to make a dough.
  7. Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2 or 3 minutes until you have a smooth dough.
  8. Lightly grease a large bow;, place the dough in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
  9. Let the dough rise until doubled in a warm spot in your kitchen. (Takes about an hour)
  10. Lightly grease a 9 X 5 inch loaf pan.
  11. Deflate the dough, then roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a 12" by 20" rectangle.
  12. Spread the apples evenly over the dough.
  13. Cut the dough into strips about 3" wide and 12" long and stack one on top of the other.
  14. Next cut the dough crosswise into 3 inch squares.
  15. Take each square stack of dough and turn it sideways and place into the loaf pan.
  16. Place the remaining stacks of dough into the pan in the same manner, squeezing them in to fit.
  17. Cover the pan and let rise until doubled in size.
  18. While the dough is rising for the second time, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  19. Bake the apple loaf for about 45 t0 55 minutes, covering it with foil to prevent burning after about 30 minutes.
  20. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before carefully turning out the bread onto a platter.
  21. Serve warm.

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6 Comments

  1. This looks delicious!! I’m hoping to be able to make it soon, I think the family will love it! It just seems so… homely and comforting and I love the smell of apple and cinnamon cooking, it fills the house with a feeling that just can’t be replicated!

    Just a question, what is the Italian name for the Whole Wheat Pastry Flour? and do you know of a UK equivalent to it also, would whole wheat flour work as well?

    1. Tipo OO Integrale is whole wheat pastry flour here in Italy. If you cannot find whole wheat pastry flour I would use just all-purpose flour as regular whole wheat flour might be too dense. In the UK I am sure any specialty organic food store would carry it.

      1. Thank you! I’ll check out the health food stores here in the UK and note down the Italian name for my next trip.

  2. Just made this today…  came out looking and smelling great!  I will bring this to our church ‘coffee hour’ tomorrow morning and surprise everyone.  (They won’t be expecting a gourmet breakfast treat. ?)

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