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Spiced Apple Pecan Swirl Bread

Spiced Apple Pecan Swirl Bread

We love this Spiced Apple Pecan Swirl Bread to start your election day or any day off with a WIN! This swirl bread looks impressive and is as easy as making cinnamon rolls. The dough has a really soft texture, and using fresh Georgia Pecans provide a nice crunch in contrast to the tenderness of the bread. It also makes a great neighbor gift. No time to bake? No worries Watanut has you covered. Share a gift box with How 'Bout them Apples Nut mix.

Ingredients

Dough

  • 1 (8-oz.) container sour cream

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1 ¾ teaspoons kosher salt

  • ¼ cup plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, divided

  •  cup warm water (100°F to 110°F)

  • 1 (¼-oz.) envelope active dry yeast

  • 2 large eggs, beaten

  • 3 ¾ - 4 ¼ cups bread flour, divided, plus more for work surface

Filling

  • ½ cup granulated sugar

  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar

  • ½ cup finely chopped peeled Honeycrisp or Gala apple (from 1 small apple), plus 1 cup thinly sliced unpeeled Honeycrisp or Gala apple (from 1 small apple), divided

  • ½ cup toasted pecans, chopped

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom

  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger

  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

Glaze

  • 1 cup sifted powdered sugar

  • 1 - 2 tablespoons apple cider, as needed

Directions

  1. Prepare the Dough: Cook sour cream, butter, kosher salt, and ¼ cup of the granulated sugar in a small saucepan over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until butter just melts, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat; cool to 110°F to 115°F, about 10 minutes.

  2. Stir together warm water, yeast, and remaining 1 teaspoon granulated sugar in a small bowl. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.

  3. Beat sour cream and yeast mixtures and eggs with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment on medium-low speed, gradually adding 3¾ cups of the flour until a soft Dough forms and pulls away from sides but still adheres to bottom of bowl, about 2 minutes.

  4. Turn out on a lightly floured work surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, adding up to remaining ½ cup flour in very small increments, if needed, to keep the Dough workable. (It should be tacky but not sticky.) Place in a lightly greased (with cooking spray) bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover and chill at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.

  5. Turn Dough out on a lightly floured work surface. Roll into a 20- x 16-inch rectangle. Coat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet with cooking spray, and place a round sheet of parchment paper in bottom of the skillet. Set aside.

  6. Prepare the Filling: Stir together granulated sugar, brown sugar, finely chopped apple, toasted pecans, softened butter, cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger in a bowl until mixture is well combined and the texture of wet sand.

  7. Gently spread Filling over Dough, carefully pressing to adhere, leaving a 1-inch border on both long sides. Starting at 1 long side, roll Dough up, jelly-roll style, into a log. Using a serrated knife, cut log in half lengthwise. Arrange Dough pieces side by side, cut sides up, on work surface. Carefully twist together, keeping cut sides facing up. Shape twisted Dough into a 9-inch ring, tucking ends under. Place in prepared skillet. Toss together lemon juice and sliced apple in a small bowl to coat. Gently tuck apple slices in between layers of Dough and Filling. Cover loosely with plastic wrap; let stand in a warm place until almost doubled in size, 1 to 1½ hours.

  8. Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in lower third position. Remove and discard plastic wrap from skillet. Bake until golden brown and cooked through, 50 minutes to 1 hour, tenting with aluminum foil after 30 minutes, if needed, to prevent excessive browning. Remove from oven. Let cool 15 minutes.

  9. Prepare the Glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon apple cider in a bowl. Add remaining 1 tablespoon cider, if needed, until desired consistency. Drizzle Glaze over bread. Serve warm, or transfer bread to a wire rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

 

Recipe credit: Southern Living Test Kitchen

Photo Credit: Greg Dupree; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner