Apple-Almond Braid

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Apple-Almond Braid: The Bakery of You

Oct 4th, 2008 by Marilyn

I am standing at my in-laws dining room table, using a short serrated knife to hack through an

apple-almond dessert, and my heavy bracelet keeps slipping down my wrist. I lean in to cut, bracelet whomp. Push it up, falls

back down. Up, down, back, clonk. It keeps whacking the pastry and driving me nuts soon theyll be eating silver off the

apples. I pull it off, shove it aside and get back to the knife. Coffee is being poured, and though Im clearly busy slicing, I

occasionally use one hand to pass the cream, another to pass the sugar and still another to distribute forks more hands than

I have, and that dessert is still whole. All around the table aunts, uncles and cousins sit with small glass plates, waiting.

I dont leave home without dessert. Call it fate or my fault, but I cant appear at birthdays, baby showers or tax meetings

empty-handed. I no longer run a kitchen or own a bakery but even when I did, this sort of dessert was greeted, time and

again, with the same phrase:you didnt make that.

Well yes I did, Id say,I did make that. Oh come on, theyd sputter, that came from a bakery. It was cute, it was flattering,

and eventually, annoying.No, that looks likeprofessional bakery.

UhI work in a bakery. I am a bakery. Youre paying for it. Its bakery.

This went on. Even now with the apple-almond braid, even with family, fifteen years among them and still the same tease:

You didnt make that.

(eyes roll into back of my head)

Yes. I hand a slice to Millie, on my right, who takes it and smiles. I did.

Come on did you stop at the bakery?

No, I said, plating a slice, I didnt.

You did not make that.

Mmsure did.

e-Almond Braid: The Bakery of You | Simmer Till Done http://simmertilldone.com/2008/10/04/apple-almond-braid-the-ba

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You stopped at the bakery.

Fine. I stopped at the bakery, okay? Now they were listening. Yeah. I stopped at the bakery the bakery ofme. Now

who wants a slice?

Today we are stopping at the bakery ofyou. Youre going to make this Apple-Almond Braid and amaze them youre

going to coolly cut slices while they search for the white box. This looks fussy, but it isnt, and looks tricky, but its not. It

also looks delicious, and it is. Bakery? Uh-uh. Today, this is how you roll.

Apple-Almond Braid

Slice apples and saute with sugar, just caramelizing to a tasty gold.

Lightly chop the cooked apples. Run out of the kitchen in an effort not to eat the cooked apples. Come back and vow to eat

just a few.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the cream cheese dough out to a wide, slightly squared oval shape, long enough to fit

lengthwise across a cookie sheet. Transfer dough to ungreased cookie sheet, allowing a slight overhang off the edges.


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Spread almond filling lengthwise down center of dough strip, leaving about 2 inches bare on either side.

Pile those golden cooked apples on top of the almond filling, mounding evenly lengthwise down the strip

like so. And now we do a great trick, the one that will make them demand to see your bakery receipt: using a small sharp

knife, slash diagonal lines along both sides of the filled strip. Start with your knife on the inside, closer to the almond filling,

and pull the knife out, creating short strips, about 3/4 wide. Cut short strips along both sides of dough, leaving overhang

ends uncut and in tact. The strip should look fringed


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sort of like a big apple-almond fish. Now, starting at one end, pull each strip toward the center, creating a V with each

pair, loosely pinching together in the middle. Continuing pulling and pairing strips all the way down, until filling is coveredand you have a braid.

To finish the ends, pinch overhang dough together, then pull up and roll over the cookie sheet, pinching to meet and seal the

braid.

Oh my god, look what you did! Youre some kind of domesticated bakery superstar, and youre almost done. Sprinkle

finished, unbaked braid thickly with cinnamon-sugar mixture and sliced almonds.


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Bake to a gorgeous crusty brown, sprinkle some powdered sugar, and prepare for bakery heaven

because thats it. You get true bakery sights, sounds and tastes with just one chunk of dough, a few ripe apples and a new

trick up your sleeve. Dont forget to keep those sleeves rolled up and by all means, remove that bracelet.

Apple-Almond Braid

1 batch Cream Cheese Dough (below)

1 batch Apple Filling (below)

6 oz almond filling (available in supermarkets, canned)

1/2 cup sliced almonds

cinnamon and sugar, for sprinkling

1. Make one recipe ofCream Cheese Dough, below. Flatten into a smooth oval shape, wrap in plastic and chill until ready

to use.

2. While dough chills, make Apple Filling, below. Set apples aside to cool while you roll dough.

3. Preheat oven to 375 F.

4. Roll & Assemble the Braid: remove Cream Cheese Dough from refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to

approximately 1/4 thickness and roll to a large, flat oval shape, about 8-9 wide and as long as your cookie sheet, 17 or

more. Transfer dough to ungreased cookie sheet, allowing overhang off the edges at either end. Trim away any excess

dough and refrigerate for other use (likedough snacks).


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Using spoon or offset flat spatula, spread almond filling lengthwise down dough strip, leaving about 2 bare on either side.

Mound cooled apples evenly on top of almond filling.

Using a small sharp knife, slash diagonal lines along both sides of the filled strip. Start with your knife on the inside, closer to

the almond filling, and pull the knife out, creating short strips, about 3/4 wide. Cut short strips along both sides of dough,

leaving overhang ends uncut and in tact.

Starting at one end, pull each strip toward the center, creating a V with each pair, loosely pinching together in the middle.

Continuing pulling and pairing strips all the way down, until filling is covered and you have a braid. Sprinkle finished,

unbaked braid thickly with cinnamon-sugar mixture and sliced almonds.

5. Bake: place braid in lower thirdof oven and bake for approximately 35 minutes, until golden brown. Bake another 10

minutes on top rackof oven, until almonds are browned but not burnt, pastry is a dark golden brown and fruit juices begin to

bubble. Remove from oven and cool.

To serve, lightly sift powdered sugar over whole braid. Serve slices warm, if desired, with vanilla ice cream.

serves 10 15

Cream Cheese Dough

8 oz cream cheese, cold

8 oz unsalted butter, cold

2 cups all-purpose flour

pinch salt

Place flour and salt in food processor and process a few seconds, to blend. Chunk butter and cream cheese in pieces over

flour, then process, using on-off motion, until dough just forms a ball. Turn out onto floured surface and knead lightly into a

smooth mass. Wrap with plastic and chill until ready to use. Rolls best when cold but still pliable, on a lightly floured surface.

Apple Filling

5 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and thick-sliced

1/2 cup water1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons corn starch

4 tablespoons water

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Using a large and preferably non-stick frying pan, saute apples over medium-high heat with sugar and water, shaking pan

occasionally, until just golden, browning and slightly sticky. Turn apples with heatproof spoon or spatula for even color. Cook

until soft but not mush watch carefully and do not burn. Reduce heat to low.

In small bowl, mix water and cornstarch to combine. Over low heat, add corn starch mixture to apples, stirring and shaking

to thicken and distribute evenly. When done, apples should appear golden, glistening and still in soft slices. If too thick and

pasty i.e., white chunks of cornstarch appear add a bit more water as necessary, turning to combine. Turn off heat,

sprinkle with cinnamon and toss to distribute.

Remove apples from stove and cool until just safe to handle. Spread on cutting board and lightly chop, making large chunks.

Set apples aside to cool before using as filling.


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Tags: apples,bakery,bb, cinnamon, recipes

Posted in chef days, fruit desserts,pie, tarts, cobblers & crisps, recipes

23 Responses to Apple-Almond Braid: The Bakery of You

on 04 Oct 2008 at 9:46 am1Renovation Therapy

Dang. I think I can actually handle this. I dont like crunchy apples though, I like them kinda soggy should I saute

them longer?

1.

on 04 Oct 2008 at 11:30 am2mary

Marilyn,

These photos are SO deliciousI would have gobbled up the whole thing before I actually baked it. XO

2.

on 04 Oct 2008 at 1:11 pm3Carol

OMG, Ive died and gone to bakery heaven. Apples, almonds and dough? Whats not to love? I cant wait to make

this!! Thank you for sharing!!

3.

on 04 Oct 2008 at 1:32 pm4modernemama

Good grief, that looks amazing. I swear I can smell it through those photos.

4.

on 04 Oct 2008 at 5:34 pm5muddywaters

I visited with my neighbor today, who picked some apples at Fieldstone Farms near Overbrook, KS. I need to tell her

about this recipe.

Im tempted to take a day off, so I can spend it baking. I might wait until the temperatures dip into the 50s before I

call in sick. I have a list of pumpkin and apple recipes Im dying to try. Im adding this to my list.

Thanks for sharing,

muddywaters

5.

on 04 Oct 2008 at 9:50 pm6amy h

Ooh, I think I could actually do this! It really looks yummy.

6.

on 04 Oct 2008 at 10:35 pm7Marianne Wille

This looks great ~ You make it look so easy!

7.

on 05 Oct 2008 at 12:27 pm8Summer

Marilyn,

I may actually have to try this too. Its almost unheard of that I should cook in my family because as a teenager I

8.

5Like share share


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basically only ate pizza. Pita bread pizza, English muffin pizza, bagel pizza, toast pizza pizza started coming out of

my ears and then I finally grew up and moved out and had to cook REAL food!

Even with a real effort last Christmas to cook for my family, it ended well, not quite the way I had hoped! I wanted

to cook a traditional French meal which are wonderful but take 4 hours to eat. Unfortunately I forgot that were in

America so we cant take 4 hours, we must speed up the timeline and eat it all in just one and a half hours. Needless to

say I cooked far too much food and everyone rolled home feeling a little worse for wear.

Perhaps something like this will be sufficient to please, impress, and not over feed!

on 05 Oct 2008 at 12:56 pm9Jude

Looks great.. Love how the filling oozes out.

9.

on 05 Oct 2008 at 2:57 pm10Rosa, alberta,canada

Wow! This looks delicious! Its Canadian Thanksgiving next weekend and now I know what Im bringing to dinner!

Thanks.

10.

on 06 Oct 2008 at 6:32 am11Theresa /t does wool

Im going to try this Marilyn,but I will use a tart appleI like tart!

And Ill try to remember about the bracelet!

11.

on 06 Oct 2008 at 10:14 am12S and N

When I grow up (or when our kitchen renovation is finished or when I get organized) I want to be a bakery.

12.

on 06 Oct 2008 at 10:23 pm13Marilyn

Jean: you can handle it, you can! Make it a late birthday baking treat. The apples (after cooking) should be soft but

still hold their shape they wont be crunchy at all, just good.

Mary: I am making one and meeting you at LPT with two forks. Lets go.

Carol: I agree, apples, almonds and dough definitely equal bakery heaven even without chocolate!

modernemama: smells even better in person perfect fall bakery scent!

muddywaters: I always go with apples first, then pumpkin. Fall is my favorite baking season, hands-down.

amy h: you absolutely can do this and try a lot of other fillings, too. Once you have the technique down, the skys the

limit.

Marianne: welcome! Glad to have yet another Lawrencian on board.

Summer: this dessert is easier than it looks and does have that European feel. Should I bring three forks to LPT?

Jude: the stuff on the pan is always the best snacking, no?

Rosa: Happy Canadian Thanksgiving! Have a wonderful time.

Theresa: normally, I love tart apples Granny Smith, always but the texture and medium-sweetness of these apples

best suit this dessert. But for snacking only Grannies for me!

S and N: dont we all want to be a bakery?

13.

on 07 Oct 2008 at 7:52 am14grace

what a beautiful dessert. the end result looks totally worth the effort involved. thanks for the recipeill make it and

pretend i work in a bakery.

14.

on 07 Oct 2008 at 9:51 am15Sandie15.


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The only thing I like better than baked goods that taste great, are baked goods that look fabulous while tasting great.

This pastry is gorgeous!

I recently watched Lidia Bastianich make a gorgeous pastry as well (thank you PBS). Between the two of you, Im

feeling particularly inspired.

on 07 Oct 2008 at 10:51 am16kimberleyblue

Looks really nice! Great job, and it sounds sooo delicious!

16.

on 08 Oct 2008 at 9:13 am17Marilyn

Grace: youll find a way to sneak peanut butter into this recipe, I know it!

Sandie: meLidiain same comment. Wait, I feel faint. Will someone please revive me with a piece of apple tart?

kimberleyblue: welcome! Happy to have you here. Please visit the Lurker Buffet for more snacks.

17.

on 09 Oct 2008 at 7:51 am18Kelly

I had some left over apples and tried this the other day. It was very very yummy! I didnt have any of the almond

filling, but I substituted a pecan tassy filling for it, which turned out great too:

1/4 c. Dark Corn Syrup3 tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp. Almond Extract

1/4 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1/4 c. finely crushed almonds

18.

on 09 Oct 2008 at 9:20 pm19Maggie

I just made my first (and second and third and fourth) Danish braid this year. It is such a satisfying pastry to make at

home and really impressed my in laws as well. Yours looks gorgeous!

19.

on 16 Oct 2008 at 6:07 am20Olivia

My days agenda just changed, thanks to this recipe. My favorite cousin is visiting, and I was planning on baking myold stand by apple cake, but now Im off to the store to buy almond paste and try this. Oh, you DO have the best stuff.

Cant wait to try your buttercream frosting. Its come after 50 years of badly iced cupcakes, (how did my children

survive the embarassment of class birthday parties with frosting that dribbled over the sides?) but a grandchilds

birthday is next week, so maybe hope for redemption?

Thanks for this!

20.

on 27 Oct 2008 at 10:51 am21David

My friend Sally sent me the link to this recipe. I have made it twice now and EVERYONE asks for the recipe. It is

amazing and simple to make! The entire family is coming to Wisconisn for Thanksgiving and I am going to serve this

Thanksgiving morning!

21.

on 29 Oct 2008 at 4:42 pm22Marilyn

Kelly, Maggie, Olivia & David hope you all enjoy the flaky apple goodness yourself, and thanks!

David Sally is a genius, so Im flattered that she chose to share it with you, and happy that it worked out. Enjoy it on

Thanksgiving!

22.

on 27 May 2010 at 7:43 pm23Teresa

This is my go-to recipe when I dont know what to do with an extra pie crust. While the cream cheese crust is a bit

better, pie crust will do. As well as substituting pears/poppy seed or firm mango/poppy seed. I always think of this

recipe when I have a few tired apples in the bottom of the fridge drawer. Thank you M!

23.


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Apple-Almond Braid

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