Apple Pie Stuffed Challah

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup (+ ¾ cup) very warm water

• 1 teaspoon (+ ⅓ cup) white granulated sugar

• 1 Tablespoon yeast

• 4 cups bread flour (might need a little more depending on how humid your kitchen is)

• 2 teaspoons (+ one pinch) salt

• ¼ cup (+1 Tablespoon) canola oil

• 2 eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 4-5 granny smith apples

• 2 Tablespoons (+ 3 Tablespoons) of cold butter (or margarine)

• Cinnamon/ apple pie spice (to taste)

• ¼ cup (+ ¼ cup) brown sugar

• 1-2 Tablespoons of lemon juice

• 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour

• ¼ cup rolled oats

Note: This challah takes a few hours to make so make sure to plan accordingly. You can adjust how much cinnamon and brown sugar you add to fit your preference.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Peel 1-2 granny smith apples and dice into small pieces (about ¼ in x ¼ in)

3. Take them out and pat them as dry as possible and put them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle generously with apple pie spice or cinnamon.

4. Put apples in the oven for about 40-45 minutes until most of the moisture is removed. Let cool for 20 minutes.

5. Mix ¼ cup of very warm water (about 110 degrees) with 1 teaspoon sugar. Add in yeast and let proof for 10 minutes. Make sure the water is not too hot because it will deactivate the yeast.

6. Add the flour, salt, white sugar and cinnamon (to taste) into a bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk to combine. You can use however much cinnamon you want, I like to use about a Tablespoon but you can use more or less.

7. Crack eggs into a separate small bowl.

8. Add vanilla and oil to eggs. Whisk to combine.

9. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture.

10. Add in yeast, once it’s proofed.

11. Add in roasted apples.

12. Slowly add ¾ cup warm water until a sticky dough is formed. You might need an extra few tablespoons)

13. Spread some flour out on the table and knead for about 8-10 minutes (set a timer!). You can also continue kneading it in the stand mixer but I recommend doing it by hand so you know what the dough is supposed to feel like. You have to make sure you need for at least 8 minutes to develop the gluten.

14. Spread 1 Tablespoon of oil in a large bowl and flip the dough so it covers the dough.

15. At this point, the oven should be slightly warm, not hot! If it’s still really warm, leave the oven door open for a few minutes. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel, not a kitchen towel or paper towel because it will stick. Let rise in the oven for an hour and a half.

16. While the dough is rising, peel and dice 2-3 granny smith apples. Sautee them in a pan on medium-low heat with 2 Tablespoons of butter, ¼ cup packed brown sugar, a Tablespoon of cinnamon, a pinch of salt, and a dash of lemon juice. After the apples just start to soften, add in a cornstarch slurry (1 Tablespoon of cornstarch dissolved in a Tablespoon of water). Once the apples are mostly softened and the liquid is thickened, remove apples from the heat and let cool. You can make the pieces however big or small you want but just make sure to adjust the cooking time in the pan-- larger pieces will have to cook longer than smaller ones. You can also use more or less sugar and cinnamon depending on your preference.

17. Combine all-purpose flour, rolled oats, ¼ cup brown sugar (not packed), ½ teaspoon of salt, and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon. Whisk to combine.

18. Dice 3-4 Tablespoons of cold butter/margarine and add to flour and oat mixture. Use hands to break up the butter and combine it with dry ingredients. This can also be done in a Cuisinart but I like to do it by hand to keep the oats whole.

19. After it rises, take it out of the bowl and knead for another 3-4 minutes. The dough should weigh about 1200-1300 grams.

20. Divide the dough into however many strands you want your braid to be. I usually do 4 because I like my challah to expand upwards, not outwards. But 3 strands will work just as well too. I recommend that you weigh the strands to ensure they will be the same size. The dough is enough for 1 large challah or 2 small-medium size ones.

21. Roll out each strand into a long flat rectangle (about ⅓ inch thick).

22. Scoop a quarter of the apple pie mixture into a line down the middle of the flattened strand. Make sure to leave a little room on either side without filling so it’s easier to roll out.

23. Fold the bottom of the strand upwards and the top of the strand downwards to enclose the pie filling. Pinch well to make sure the filling does not escape. Gently stretch out to elongate if needed.

24. Dust the outside of each strand with flour and braid.

25. Let rest for 30 minutes.

26. Preheat the oven to 350.

27. Spread some egg wash on the dough (egg and a dash of water)-- save the remainder to reapply later.*

28. Sprinkle on the flour and oat topping. It’s optional but I really like the flavor and texture it adds.

29. Bake for ~40 minutes for 2 challahs, ~50 minutes for 1 challah.* Once again, use your best judgment, it might need more or less time. It should be golden brown and pretty firm to the touch, and the internal temperature should be about 170 degrees. Usually, the challah needs to be about 198 but the apple mixture on the inside affects the internal temperature.

30. *Halfway through the baking, make sure to turn the pan around in the oven so that it cooks evenly on both sides!

31. Let cool for 10 minutes.

32. Enjoy!