Easy Apple Bread Recipe | Julie Blanner (2024)

FAQs

Why is my apple bread so dense? ›

There are a few reasons why your apple bread might be dense. One reason could be that you overmixed the batter. Be careful not to overmix, or your bread will be tough. Another reason could be that you didn't let the bread cool completely before slicing into it.

Too much moisture is the most likely reason your apple bread is falling apart. If the apples are producing too much moisture, you will have to compensate by reducing the milk in the recipe by 1-2 tablespoons. One of the other reasons is not baking the bread as soon as the batter is ready.

Avoid soft, mushy apples. I use Granny Smith because overall, its flavor and texture are the best for baking. I also love sweet apples in this bread like Honeycrisp, Fuji, and Pink Lady. Applesauce: If you don't have unsweetened applesauce, use the same amount of plain yogurt or sour cream.

TO STORE: Leftover apple bread can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for four days. TO FREEZE: Apple bread can be frozen for up to two months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Potato Flakes or Potato Water

Starch helps the dough by trapping the gas from the yeast in the dough and makes the bubbles stronger. This helps the bread to rise and be lighter and fluffier. If you are boiling potatoes, you can use the unsalted water in place of the water in your bread recipe to help out the yeast.

There may be several reasons for a dense, cake like texture in bread. It may indicate the kneading wasn't enough for the gluten to develop properly, or the dough was proved for too short a time or the dough may have been too dry. It is also worth checking the flour you used.

Yeast is too hot Yeast may have been dissolved in water that was too hot, or the liquid ingredients in the recipe may be too hot, causing the yeast to die. Yeast needs to be warm - not too hot, not too cold. Yeast is too cold If the other ingredients are too cold, it could cause some of the yeast to die.

So you need to make sure your dough is kept moist enough. Don't sprinkle the surface with flour when kneading – it will absorb the water in your dough and dry it out. Use a little olive oil if the dough is very sticky and hard to handle, and knead with wet hands.

Flying crust occurs when the crust separates from the crumb and creates a cavern between the top of the crumb and crust. Flying crust is usually caused by weak gluten or over-hydration. Low-protein or stale flours tend to cause flying crust. Also, each flour has a saturation point.

Honeycrisp. One of the sweetest apples around, this Midwestern favorite is good for anything—including baking. It boasts a distinctive juicy crispness and is firm enough that it won't cook down much. It complements just about any other apple variety to make a stellar pie.

What apples should not be used for apple pie? ›

There are a few apples that don't make the cut. While great for snacking, Gala, Fuji and Red Delicious are the most common apples that won't hold up in the oven and will give you a watery-mushy pie, tart or cake.

For the best pies, crisps, and other baked treats, apples need to be firm enough to hold their own during the cooking process. We call these apples “baking apples” and to namedrop, they include Braeburn, Cortland, Honey Gold, Jonathan, Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Haralson, and Newtown Pippin.

Baking temperature

Some ovens run hotter than its settings, some cooler. If the oven is too hot the loaf will be brown and crispy on the outside but doughy in the middle and may collapse as it cools. When bread is baked at too low a temperature it will not rise enough in the oven resulting in a dense and sunken loaf.

For best results, base your yeast dough on wheat flour — only wheat-based flour provides the type and amount of protein yeast dough needs to support its structure. Whole wheat flour, white whole wheat flour, bread flour, or all-purpose flour are all good choices.

Substitute 1 cup applesauce for chopped apples. Substitute 2 cups fresh or drained canned pears, peaches or rhubarb.

For baking light and fluffy bread, it is necessary to choose flour that has high levels of protein. If you choose to use flour with lower protein levels, you'll be left with the bread being dense. The reason for this is the fact that flour varieties with low protein aren't able to form a strong gluten network.

Amount of flour: The key to a soft loaf that isn't dense is to use as little flour as possible.

Short, Dense, and/or Dark Loaf

Cause: typical of too much flour (or other dry ingredients) or not enough liquid; less often a result of too little yeast, too little sugar, too much salt, or old ingredients. Here's what you can try doing to improve your loaf: Reduce your flour* or increasing your liquids.

Does Rising Bread Affect Its Texture? For a fluffy bread texture, the key is to let the bread rise long enough.