White-wheat fruit and nut coffeecake - country living

1 loaf

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 cup Plus 1 t milk
6 tablespoons Butter
½ cup Plus 1/4 t granulated sugar
¼ cup Warm water (105 to 115-F)
1 pack Active dry yeast
2 larges Eggs, beaten
2 cups To 2 1/2 C unsifted bread flour
2 cups White-wheat flour or whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon Salt
Apple-Raisin Filling (recipe follows)
Confectioners' sugar

Directions

NOTE: This wholesome fruit-filled sweet bread is made with white-wheat flour, which is milled from a new variety of hard white winter wheat.

Combining the nutritional benefits of traditional whole-wheat flour and the lighter taste and appearance of all-purpose flour, white-wheat flour is an ideal ingredient for all kinds of baking. For a mail-order source of white-wheat flour, see the Note following this recipe. If desired, substitute traditional whole-wheat flour for the white-wheat flour in this coffeecake.

1. In small saucepan, heat 1 C milk until bubbles appear around side of pan; remove from heat and add butter and ½ C granulated sugar, stirring to melt butter. Set aside to cool (105' to 115'F).

2. Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine water, yeast, and remaining ¼ t sugar; stir to dissolve yeast. Let stand until foamy-about 5 minutes.

3. In another small bowl, beat remaining 1 t milk with 1 T of beaten eggs to make egg glaze; set aside in refrigerator. In large bowl, preferably of heavy-duty electric mixer, combine the cooled milk mixture, yeast mixture, remaining beaten eggs, 1 C bread flour, the white-wheat flour, and salt. With dough hook or wooden spoon, beat until smooth. Add remaining bread flour, ½ C at a time, until soft dough forms.

4. Turn dough out onto floured surface. Knead dough until smooth and elasticabout 5 minutes, adding more bread flour as necessary to prevent sticking.

5. Wash, dry, and oil mixing bowl. Shape dough into a ball and place in oiled bowl, turning to bring oiled side up. Cover with clean cloth. Let dough rise in warm place until double in size-about 1½ hours.

6. Prepare Apple-Raisin Filling.

7. Lightly grease a large baking sheet. Punch dough down and cut in half Roll out one-half of dough to 12-inch square and transfer to baking sheet. Spread Apple-Raisin Filling evenly on top of dough square, leaving ½-inch border around edge; brush border with some of egg glaze.

8. Roll out remaining half of dough to a 12-inch square and place it over fruit filling to meet and cover edges of bottom dough. Pinch edges together to seal. Trim ⅛ inch from edges with pastry wheel or knife. Brush top with remaining egg glaze. With scissors, snip twelve 1 ½-inchlong slits in top of dough to expose filling. Set aside in warm place 20 minutes.

9. Heat oven to 350'F. Bake coffeecake 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool to warm or room temperature. Sift confectioners' sugar around edge of coffeecake and serve.

Apple-Raisin Filling: In 2-quart saucepan, combine 2 baking apples, peeled, cored, and chopped, 1 C dark seedless raisins, ½ C chopped walnuts, 2 tablespoons butter, 2 T firmly packed light-brown sugar, 1 T ground cinnamon, and 2 t finely grated lemon rind. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until apples are soft-15 to 20 minutes.

Note: White-wheat flour is available in 5-lb bags from King Arthur Flour for $3.95 (shipping not included). For more information or to order, call King Arthur Flour at (800) 827-6836.

Country Living/November/1994 Scanned & edited by Di Pahl & <gg>

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