Applesauce Bran Bread
I was an avid reader of the back of the cereal box as a child. Call it nostalgia, but cereal companies these days just aren’t putting out high quality content like they used to. However the other day a recipe on the Kroger bran flakes box for an applesauce bran bread grabbed my attention. Nowhere did I see recommendations for a Gatorade pairing.
Two weeks ago we canned 10 jars of applesauce and another 8 of apple slices with apples that we picked earlier in October at Wasem Fruit Farm in Milan. Each fall we go apple picking and this year opted to pick a full bushel (about 50 lbs) instead of a half like usual. I’m excited to have applesauce and baking apples canned to use all year round but I’m not sure it is something we’d do again. I accidentally recycled the box before I could write down the recipe but was able to cook one up that turned out nicely.
This loaf is my favorite that I’ve made since we moved a few months ago. As it came out of the oven it filled the apartment with the wonderfully warm smell of apples. The bran flakes provide a nice texture to the bread which is denser than my usual sandwich loaf. The apple taste isn’t overpowering; I would feel fine using a few slices to make a sandwich but think it might be best used as a breakfast bread.
My wife commented that she thought it would go great with some apple butter; we still have about 25 apples left from the over 125 we picked, so perhaps that is what we’ll do with the last of the bunch. I took a cue from Michigan football and took a bye week of my own from Friday-Sunday. Yesterday in addition to this bread I made some pumpkin soup and but otherwise didn’t do much this weekend. This bread doesn’t take much effort, so I hope you’ll give it a try!
- 3 cups bread flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup bran flakes
- ⅓ cup molasses
- 1½ cups applesauce
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- In the bowl of a stand mixer combine all ingredients. Using the dough hook knead on medium speed for 5-7 minutes. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl. Add additional flour or water as needed.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise for 1 hour, or until doubled.
- Butter and flour a loaf pan. Once risen turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat the dough out to a 9"x5" rectangle. Roll up from the short end to form a loaf, pinching the seams as you go.
- Place in the loaf pan and loosely cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until the dough crests the top of the loaf pan, about 1 hour. Halfway into the rise preheat oven to 350 F.
- Once risen place the dough in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until the top is dark brown. Remove from oven and take out of the loaf pan. Let cool for at least 2 hours before slicing.
