Apricot Bread
This yeasted Apricot Bread is slightly sweet and a little tart with an incredible apricot filling. Sliced apricots are sprinkled on top before it bakes. As soon as it’s out of the oven, apricot jam is brushed on top. Serve slices of this delicious bread with coffee or afternoon tea.
Ingredients
- FOR THE DOUGH
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 1/2 ounce envelope active dry yeast
- ¼ cup warm water 100 to 110 degrees
- 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
- 4½-5 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- FOR THE FILLING
- ½ dried apricots chopped
- ½ cup fresh apricots chopped
- ½ cup orange juice
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ all-purpose flour
- FOR THE TOPPING
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup apricot jam
- ½ cup sliced almonds
Instructions
- MAKE THE DOUGH
- Heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to boil. Remove from heat and let stand until cooled to room temperature. Meanwhile, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water in a large bowl. Add 1 T of the sugar and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
- Beat in the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, eggs and butter. Beat in cooled milk. Gradually add the flour and salt, scraping down side of bowl, until a soft dough forms.
- Turn dough onto a floured work surface and knead the remaining flour into the dough, adding more flour if too sticky. Knead for about 10 minutes until smooth. The dough will be soft.
- Grease a large bowl. Place the dough in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
- While dough is rising, soak the apricots in the orange juice (I also threw in a Tablespoon of limoncello. If you have any and you like the flavor, use it!)
- Line a regular and mini size loaf pan with parchment paper. (if you don't have a mini loaf pan, you can use a muffin tin) .
- FOR THE FILLING
- In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Drain the apricots from the juice. Reserve the juice. Mix the apricots and flour into the butter/sugar mixture.
- Punch down the dough. Dump the dough out onto a floured surface, roll out the dough into a 10-by-18-inch rectangle. Spread the apricot mix over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border on the sides.
- Brush the borders with water. Tightly roll the dough into an 18-inch log, rolling toward the clean border; pinch the seam to seal. Cut the ends off.
- Place the ends in a small loaf pan or (muffin tins that have been sprayed with baking spray.)
- Place roll seam-side down on the baking sheet. Cut the log in half so you now have two logs to work with. Cut the first half of the log in half lengthwise with a chef's knife.
- Twist the two halves together, crossing one over the other a few times. Pinch the end together, then tuck both pinched ends under the loaf slightly. Carefully place in the first parchment lined loaf pan.
- Repeat with the second log and place in the other parchment lined loaf pan (if you don't have two loaf pans, you could bake the other log on a parchment lined baking sheet). You could also make a 1 large ring bread or two smaller ring breads.
- Cover the loaf loosely with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until plump, 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Uncover the loaves and brush butter on the loaves (and the rolls, if you made rolls). Sprinkle on the almonds.
- Bake the bread, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until golden brown , 30 to 35 minutes. (check the rolls as they may be done a few minutes before). Brush bread and rolls with melted butter.
- While bread is baking, heat up the apricot jam with the reserved orange juice.
- BRUSH ON JAM
- When the bread is ready, brush the apricot jam on the bread hot of the oven.
Notes
inspired by this Apricot and Marzipan Twist
dough from me and filling adapted from their recipe