Spiced Shredded Apple Loaf for #WorldBreadDay

It's fall - and that means warming spices and apples! This loaf is packed with shredded apples and laced with stong-brewed @adagioteas Masala Chai and Vanilla Roobois teas. It is a perfect pairing for strong cheeses or apple butter!

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 It's the middle of October, and I for one love this time of year. Despite needing a light jacket (or a sweatshirt if, unlike me, you don't feel the cold), the aromas and colours of the season are by far some of the best of the year. 

On Thanksgiving weekend, my sister and I spent an hour or so at the orchard picking local apples, and when I came home and brewed myself a mug of apple-chai tea I was inspired to try and make a loaf of bread encapsulating all the spices and fruit of the season. A few hours (and a lot of flour) later I had some delicious low-rising loaves cooling on the rack waiting to be sampled. Had I thought more ahead I would have broken out my makeshift French bread moulds to keep them a little taller, but the flavour was perfect regardless!

I have to say I am spoiled for choice with teas this Autumn - the lovely folks at Aadagio Teas sent me a decadent selection of Autumn and Chai teas, each filled with warming flavors and spices. A mug (or two) is a perfect addition to the colder, rainy days of October and November here. To achieve the perfect brew for one, the company also has an adorable line of porcelain infuser mugs which are perfect (especially when working from home).
You can find the Autumn Tea Ssampler, Chai Sampler and infuser mugs all on adagio's site, and stay tuned since I've caught wind of an exclusive release tea for Black Friday!

Today is also World Bread Day and I am so glad to be able to submit my entry into the roundup at kochtopf.me this year. Zorra has been compiling World Bread Day roundups since 2006 (longer than this little project of mine has been around!) and I love seeing the entries from around the world.

 

Spiced Shredded Apple Loaf 

Makes 2 loaves

1 1/3 cups boiling water

2 tsp Adagio Masala Chai loose-leaf tea

1 tsp Adagio Vanilla Roobois loose-leaf tea

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 1/2 cups (6.3 oz) Greek yogurt (I used full fat)

1/2 tbsp salt

4 cups (1 lb 2 oz) bread flour

3 cups (13 oz) whole wheat flour

3 tbsp Fleischman's Bread Booster (optional but recommended, King Arthur Flour has this one which is also a good bet)

1 tbsp instant yeast 

2 large apples, shredded

1. Combine the boiling water and loose leaf tea in a measuring cup and steep 4 minutes. 
2. Strain tea into the bowl of a stand mixer and add the maple syrup, yogurt and salt, mixing well.
3. Add the flours, bread booster (if using) and yeast and mix to form a shaggy dough.
4. Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
5. Add the apples and knead for 10 minutes, until elastic and relatively smooth.
6. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 90 minutes.
7. Knock down and divide in half. Shape each half into a loaf and place on a silicone or parchment lined baking sheet.
8. Cover with a clean towel and let rise another 45 minutes.
9. Heat the oven to 400F. 
10. Uncover the loaves, dust with flour and slash as desired.
11. Bake loaves for 35-45 minutes, until the loaf reaches 190F on a thermometer (I used this one). Cool completely before slicing.