apples

Make the dough

• Mix together the dough ingredients by hand or using a mixer with dough hook, until well-incorporated and not stiff. Place dough in a greased bowl to let rise about 2 hours, or until puffy; if poked with a finger, the dent in the dough should remain and not bounce back.
• Prepare a deep round cake pan or casserole dish (at least 4 inches) by greasing thoroughly.
• Also lightly grease a large stretch of counter top or table. Gently deflate dough and transfer to the surface, and flatten dough to an 8x10-inch rectangle.

Prepare the filling

• Core the apples but leave on the peels. Chop apples into chunks about 1/2 to 3/4-inch in size. Should equal about 3 cups total. Toss pieces in cinnamon and sugar.

Assemble the bread

• Spread half the apples in the center of the dough. Fold one short edge over the apples to cover them, and press down the edge to seal them inside.
• Place the remaining apples on top of the existing apple-dough mound. Cover these apples with the other flap of dough, patting again to seal. It's okay if it is bulging and messy!
• Use a bench knife or paring knife to cut the dough down the middle, long-ways. Then cut again along the long side, edge to edge, to create a series of broad, messy stacks of dough with apples overflowing onto the surface.
• Start transferring pieces of dough and scattered apples into the prepared pan, forming a bottom layer, then keep stacking more dough and fruit on top until everything is in the pan.
• Cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let rise for another hour, until it is puffed again.
• Preheat oven at 325-degrees, with a rack in the lower third of the oven.
• Uncover the dough. Brush the top with an egg beaten with a tablespoon of water. If desired, sprinkle coarse sugar all over the top.
• Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until the top is deep brown. As the dough is so thick, if a kitchen thermometer is available, use it to test the middle; bread should be at least 190-degrees.
• Set pan of bread on a rack to cool for 10 minutes. Carefully remove bread from pan.
• Serve challah warm, ideally with extra honey drizzled on top. Store covered at room temperature up to 4 days. Bread can also be sliced and frozen.

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• Preheat oven at 425-degrees. Place muffin liners in two 12-count pans and apply a heavy dose of nonstick spray. Set aside.
• Wash and sort through blueberries, picking out stems or mushy berries. Pat dry. Place in a bowl. Add a tablespoon or so of flour and gently stir to coat berries. This will prevent them from sinking in the batter.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, white sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
• In a big mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, vanilla, apple butter, and coconut oil. Gradually pour in the dry ingredients, scraping bottom several times, until everything is just incorporated. Carefully fold in the blueberries.
• Scoop batter into prepared liners, filling each no more than 3/4 full.
• Bake for 5 minutes at 425-degrees. Don't open oven door. Lower temperature to 375-degrees and bake for an additional 16 to 18 minutes, until middle muffins pass the toothpick test.
• Remove pans from oven. Immediately (and carefully) use a fork to pry out each muffin. Keeping them in liners, set on rack to completely cool.
• Once cooled, pack in sealed containers. If freezing muffins, remove liners first.

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• Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Cut parchment paper to fit long-ways in a loaf pan, sticking up on either side as a sling. Apply nonstick spray into pan, place paper, then spray again. Set aside.
• Prepare apples. Add brown sugar and cinnamon to bowl and toss with chopped apples to coat.
• In a big bowl, mix white sugar and applesauce until smooth and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, then the vanilla extract.
• In another small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually stir this into the egg mixture, followed by the milk.
• Spoon about half of the batter into the prepared pan. Layer about half of the apples on top. Scoop the remaining batter over it, and add the rest of the apples. Pat them into the top.
• Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick stuck into the middle emerges clean.
• Use parchment sling to immediately lift loaf onto a rack to completely cool. Once the loaf is at room temperature, shroud in plastic wrap and store at room temperature--or freeze all or part of loaf for later.

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• Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Use nonstick spray or grease with butter the inside of a 13x9 pan (note: don't line with foil).
• Peel and slice apples and place in pan. Sprinkle 1/4 cup brown sugar and cinnamon over apples.
• In a large bowl, cream together butter and remaining brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla extract. Follow up with flour and 1/2 cup of walnuts.
• Drop dollops of dough all over apples, covering as much as possible. Sprinkle remaining walnuts over top.
• Bake for about 40 minutes. Top should be golden and apples tender when poked with a fork.
• Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold. Store covered in foil, in fridge or on counter top, for up to three days. Fantastic with ice cream!

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• Preheat oven at 350-degrees with a large rimmed cookie sheet in the oven. [THIS IS IMPORTANT. The skillet will likely overflow as it bakes and the hot cookie sheet will also reduce the likelihood of a soggy pie bottom.] Add butter to skillet and place in oven until butter is melted. Remove skillet; stir in brown sugar, then return to oven until sugar starts bubbling, about 10 to 15 more minutes.
• In the meantime, in a small bowl combine the white sugar, cinnamon, and flour. Set aside.
• Roll out one of the pie crusts, if not already done. Carefully lay crust inside hot skillet so that bottom and sides are covered. Pour apple slices inside. Drizzle liqueur over the apples, followed by the dry ingredients.
• Roll out second pie crust. Lay atop the mounded pie. Wary of the hot pan, tuck the crusts together as much as possible. Cut several slits in the top of the pie.
• Brush egg wash over the top crust. Set pie on top of hot cookie sheet in oven.
• Bake until pie is golden brown and apples are tender when jabbed with a fork, about 45 to 50 minutes.
• Let cool at least 30 minutes before cutting. Store covered with foil, at room temperature or in fridge.
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• Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Line a 9×9 square pan with foil and apply butter or nonstick spray.
• In a medium bowl, toss peeled and chopped apples with cinnamon and brown sugar.
• In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
• In a larger mixing bowl, whisk together the white sugar, vegetable oil, sour cream/yogurt, and vanilla extract until it's smooth. Add the eggs.
• Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until everything is just mixed. Fold in the apple chunks.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle turbinado or maple sugar over top, if desired.
• Bake 1 hour, until it passes the toothpick test in middle. Cool completely, chilling in fridge if desired. Use foil to list contents onto a cutting board. Cut into pieces.
• These are great individually plastic wrapped and stored at room temperature or in the fridge; bars can be frozen and keep well for months. Eat from the fridge, or at room temperature, or warm in the microwave or oven. However you eat it, it'll be delicious!
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