Cardamom Apple Wreath
Recipe by Nicole Thom-Arens
Serves 6 to 8
With each season, I am excited to return to familiar flavors. When turning the calendar to September, I am most excited about apple recipes. This cardamom apple wreath is a great way to celebrate apples when the weather is still warm. The classic cinnamon-apple combination harkens to cool weather while cardamom, with its citrus notes, is more suitable when summer temps linger into fall.
Ingredients:2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast4 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided4 tablespoons unsalted butter3/4 cup whole milk1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste1 cup rye flour1 1/4 cups bread flour + 1/4 cup for kneading1 teaspoon cardamom2 teaspoons kosher salt (Reduce to 1 teaspoon if not using Diamond.)
Filling:2 apples5 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened1 teaspoon cardamomPinch of saltDash of vanilla bean paste
Instructions:1. Warm the milk and melt the butter in a small saucepan set over medium heat on the stovetop. Stir occasionally to prevent the milk from scalding on the bottom of the pan. Once the butter has melted, remove from the heat and allow to cool to a lukewarm temperature. 2. While the milk and butter are cooling, add the yeast and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar to a large mixing bowl. 3. After the milk and butter mixture has cooled, add it to the yeast and sugar mixture. Stir to dissolve the sugar and the yeast. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes until the yeast has bloomed. 4. When the yeast is bubbly, add the remaining sugar, vanilla bean paste, and rye flour. Stir.5. Add 1 1/4 cups bread flour and cardamom. Stir until a shaggy dough forms. 6. Add the salt. Stir to combine. (If the dough is too stiff to stir, begin kneading to incorporate the salt.)7. Once the salt is incorporated into the dough, use some of the remaining 1/4 cup bread flour to dust the worksurface. Turn out the dough onto the floured surface and knead until smooth and springy—about 10 minutes. (Add just enough flour so that the dough doesn’t stick to your hands while kneading.)8. Form the smooth, springy dough into a ball and transfer to a greased bowl. Cover with a tea towel and allow to rise until doubled—between 1 and 2 hours. (Because this dough has so much fat and sugar added, it requires a longer proof.)9. While the dough is proofing, peel and core the apples and cut them into a 1/4-inch dice. Add the apples to a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until they are soft but not mushy and the moisture has evaporated. Stir frequently. (This takes about 10 minutes.) 10. Add 1 tablespoon granulated sugar to the apples and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Stir frequently. 11. Transfer the apples to a small plate to cool. 12. Make the cardamom filling by mixing together the butter, 4 tablespoons granulated sugar, cardamom, salt, and vanilla until a smooth paste forms.13. Prepare a 9-inch springform pan by lining the bottom with parchment paper. Spray the bottom and sides of the pan and wrap the outside edges with foil to avoid leaking. (You can use a 9-inch cake pan just make sure the edges are at least 2-inches tall to avoid spilling over of the sugar and butter during baking. For extra leak protection, set the pan on a baking sheet lined with foil.)14. Once the dough has doubled, punch it down and turn it out onto a clean worksurface. Roll the dough out to a 12- by 18-inch rectangle. Spread the butter cardamom filling across the dough to all of the edges. Sprinkle over the cooled apples into an even, single layer. 15. Roll the dough into a tight, long log starting with the 18-inch side. Once rolled, pinch the seam tight and place the log seam side down. With a sharp knife, slice the log down the middle (the long way). Gently turn the dough so that the filling and layers are exposed upward. Carefully braid the two strands so not to lose the filling, always keeping the filling facing up. Once braided, transfer the log to the prepared 9-inch pan and form into a wreath. (The dough won’t fill the pan at this point; just center it making sure it has a defined hole in the center.) Pinch together the ends securely. Cover with the tea towel and allow to proof for 60 to 90 minutes. 16. After about 45 minutes, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 17. Once the wreath is proofed, check the joining seam and gently secure it if needed. Bake the wreath for 45 to 50 minutes at 375 degrees. The bread is done when it is golden brown and the internal temperature reads at least 180 degrees.18. Cool the wreath in the pan for at least 30 minutes. Once cooled, run a paring knife between the bread and the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Slice and serve. Freeze any leftovers to preserve freshness.
Ingredients:2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast4 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided4 tablespoons unsalted butter3/4 cup whole milk1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste1 cup rye flour1 1/4 cups bread flour + 1/4 cup for kneading1 teaspoon cardamom2 teaspoons kosher salt (Reduce to 1 teaspoon if not using Diamond.)
Filling:2 apples5 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened1 teaspoon cardamomPinch of saltDash of vanilla bean paste
Instructions:1. Warm the milk and melt the butter in a small saucepan set over medium heat on the stovetop. Stir occasionally to prevent the milk from scalding on the bottom of the pan. Once the butter has melted, remove from the heat and allow to cool to a lukewarm temperature. 2. While the milk and butter are cooling, add the yeast and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar to a large mixing bowl. 3. After the milk and butter mixture has cooled, add it to the yeast and sugar mixture. Stir to dissolve the sugar and the yeast. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes until the yeast has bloomed. 4. When the yeast is bubbly, add the remaining sugar, vanilla bean paste, and rye flour. Stir.5. Add 1 1/4 cups bread flour and cardamom. Stir until a shaggy dough forms. 6. Add the salt. Stir to combine. (If the dough is too stiff to stir, begin kneading to incorporate the salt.)7. Once the salt is incorporated into the dough, use some of the remaining 1/4 cup bread flour to dust the worksurface. Turn out the dough onto the floured surface and knead until smooth and springy—about 10 minutes. (Add just enough flour so that the dough doesn’t stick to your hands while kneading.)8. Form the smooth, springy dough into a ball and transfer to a greased bowl. Cover with a tea towel and allow to rise until doubled—between 1 and 2 hours. (Because this dough has so much fat and sugar added, it requires a longer proof.)9. While the dough is proofing, peel and core the apples and cut them into a 1/4-inch dice. Add the apples to a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until they are soft but not mushy and the moisture has evaporated. Stir frequently. (This takes about 10 minutes.) 10. Add 1 tablespoon granulated sugar to the apples and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Stir frequently. 11. Transfer the apples to a small plate to cool. 12. Make the cardamom filling by mixing together the butter, 4 tablespoons granulated sugar, cardamom, salt, and vanilla until a smooth paste forms.13. Prepare a 9-inch springform pan by lining the bottom with parchment paper. Spray the bottom and sides of the pan and wrap the outside edges with foil to avoid leaking. (You can use a 9-inch cake pan just make sure the edges are at least 2-inches tall to avoid spilling over of the sugar and butter during baking. For extra leak protection, set the pan on a baking sheet lined with foil.)14. Once the dough has doubled, punch it down and turn it out onto a clean worksurface. Roll the dough out to a 12- by 18-inch rectangle. Spread the butter cardamom filling across the dough to all of the edges. Sprinkle over the cooled apples into an even, single layer. 15. Roll the dough into a tight, long log starting with the 18-inch side. Once rolled, pinch the seam tight and place the log seam side down. With a sharp knife, slice the log down the middle (the long way). Gently turn the dough so that the filling and layers are exposed upward. Carefully braid the two strands so not to lose the filling, always keeping the filling facing up. Once braided, transfer the log to the prepared 9-inch pan and form into a wreath. (The dough won’t fill the pan at this point; just center it making sure it has a defined hole in the center.) Pinch together the ends securely. Cover with the tea towel and allow to proof for 60 to 90 minutes. 16. After about 45 minutes, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 17. Once the wreath is proofed, check the joining seam and gently secure it if needed. Bake the wreath for 45 to 50 minutes at 375 degrees. The bread is done when it is golden brown and the internal temperature reads at least 180 degrees.18. Cool the wreath in the pan for at least 30 minutes. Once cooled, run a paring knife between the bread and the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Slice and serve. Freeze any leftovers to preserve freshness.