Apple Cider Wheat Bread featuring Austin EastCiders

A wholesome, vegan-friendly wheat bread featuring craft apple cider and sweet potatoes.

Ingredients:

• 3-4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 packages active dry yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)
• 1 cup sweet potato puree
• 1/4 cup butter or vegan margarine
• 1 1/2 cups Austin Eastciders Gold Top Apple Cider
• 1 egg yolk or 3 tablespoons vegan margarine

Instructions:

1. Grease a large baking sheet with cooking spray or butter.
2. In a 2-quart saucepan, heat sweet potato puree, butter, and cider until very warm (about 120° F). Do not overheat this mixture; liquids over 120° F will kill the yeast!
3. Stir together in a large mixing bowl two cups all-purpose flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Add the sweet potato mixture to the bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium for 3 minutes.
4. Stir in 2 cups of whole wheat flour and beat for another minute. The dough should be tacky at this point. Switch to your mixer's dough hook attachment or begin kneading the bread in the bowl with your hands. Add the remaining all-purpose flour two tablespoons at a time and continue kneading until the dough becomes springy and matte in appearance, about 3 minutes with an electric mixer or 5 minutes by hand. You may not need to add all the flour, depending on the conditions in your kitchen. Cover the dough with a clean dish towel and set it in a warm place to rise for about an hour, until it has doubled in size.
5. Punch dough down and move it to a clean, flour-covered surface. Divide dough in half. Divide each half into 3 pieces, and roll each piece into a 24-inch rope. Place three ropes side by side on a baking sheet, pinch one end together, and braid. Coil the braid in a circle and pinch the ends together, forming a circle. Repeat with the remaining dough. Cover both braids and set in a warm place to rise for about 30 minutes.
6. Preheat the oven to 375° F while bread is rising.
7. Prepare an egg wash by beating together one egg yolk and a tablespoon of water. (For vegan bread, use 3 tablespoons melted vegan margarine instead.) Use a pastry brush or your fingers to brush the risen loaves with this mixture and bake for 20-24 minutes, until golden brown.
8. Let loaves cool on wire racks for an hour before enjoying the finished bread.

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