Apple Bread

It’s the season of Fuji apples. My most desired kind of apples. Growing up, apples were my favorite kind of fruits, and by default, I was following the old saying an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Sometimes, I would even eat more than one apple a day. However, when I moved to the US, the red beautiful looking apples I found in the average grocery store didn’t taste any close to the apples I grew up eating. They were soft and stale. So I stopped eating apples until years later I was introduced to the Fuji apples and yum where were those apples in my early years living in the U.S?

As you know Fuji or most apples (fresh apples if I may say) appear during fall/winter time which is the season. I’m lucky this year that the neighbors have a tree and they’re generous enough to share some with me… and oh the taste is to die for. Fresh, crispy, sweet, and sour. The best Fuji apples I’ve ever had. So with the abundance of apples, I decided to share my mother’s apple bread recipe.

Throwback to years ago while living in Ramallah, we had an apple tree in our backyard, and in Palestine, we do have different types of apples. We get one special apple (I don’t know the name of it) but it is a kind that is available during summer. So in summer, my mom used to end up with a lot of apples from the tree so she would be making this delicious apple bread.

This recipe I’m sharing makes two loaves. My mother insists that apples should be cut and soaked with sugar the night before. That way apples are softened and most part of the sugar turns into a liquid, and that will keep the bread moist. However, if you don’t have the time to cut them and soak them in sugar the night before, no worries if apples are covered with sugar for 3-4 hours it can also work, I have tried both methods, and bread turns just fine.

Mix dry ingredients together: flour, spices, salt, and baking soda. In a separate bowl blend eggs, then vanilla and melted butter and pour over the dry ingredients, blend everything well together, then add chopped apples with melted sugar mix everything well together, and add walnut towards the end. Pour the mix in two greased loaf pans, half on each one. Bake on a heated 350 degrees oven for about 45-55 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 5 to 6 medium size apples
• 1 cup of sugar
• 3 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground clove
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 cup butter (or half butter and half oil)
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup walnut (optional)

Instructions:

1. Cut apples into squares and cover with sugar overnight or for 3-5 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Mix flour, spices, baking soda, and salt together.
4. In a separate bowl blend eggs, then add vanilla and melted butter. Then add to dry mix.
5. Add apples with sugar to the mix and integrate everything together.
6. Add walnuts.
7. Pour mixture into two greased loaf pans.
8. Bake for about 45-50 minutes in pre-heated 350 F oven.