Avid Inkling

It has been a while since I’ve shared any recipes I’ve made. Today I felt inspired to do make a modified version of a recipe my online-buddy CookieChef* shared a while back for Praline Apple Bread.

I made a few changes, some intentional, and some accidental. I intentionally cut back the sugar to 1/2 a cup, and left out the pecans and praline topping because nuts are still tricky for Oliver to eat, he can, until he gets distracted. I tossed in a few hand-fulls of crasins instead. I also made two smaller loaves so I could freeze one for later.

I accidentally doubled the amount of apple the recipe called for, I wrote down 1 1/2 lbs instead of 1 1/2 cups. Oops.

Thanks to the doubling of the apples, the bread is very moist, and a little crumbly to cut. It’s quite good, so I’m going to stash this recipe away for later and try it again with the praline topping.

Praline Apple Bread – as originally shared

• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, divided
• 1 (8-oz) container sour cream
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped, peeled Granny Smith apples (about 3/4 lb, I used 1 1/4 large)
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350°. Bake 1/2 cup pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 6 to 8 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring after 4 minutes. Beat sour cream and next 3 ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until blended. Stir together flour and next 3 ingredients. Add to sour cream mixture, beating just until blended. Stir in apples and 1/2 cup toasted pecans. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 9 x 5″ loaf pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup chopped pecans; lightly press pecans into batter.

Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, shielding with aluminum foil after 50 minutes, if need be, to prevent excessive browning. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack.

Bring butter and brown sugar to a boil in a 1-qt. heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly; boil 1 minute. Remove from heat, and spoon over top of bread; let cool completely (about 1 hour).

Note: To freeze, cool bread completely; wrap in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

*Her website is still in development.