Twisted Apple Braid Food

APPLE CREAM CHEESE BRAID DANISH

Steps:

• Heat butter, sugar, water and milk to 120F.
• Combine 2 cups flour, salt and yeast in a medium bowl. Make a well in the center. Add butter mixture. Mix in additional 1/2 cup flour and egg. Knead on low speed for about 7-8 minutes scraping down bowl as needed. Add additional 1/2 cup of flour while kneading if necessary. Dough should be smooth.
• Place dough in a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise for about an hour or until doubled in bulk.
• Meanwhile, over low heat combine apples, butter, sugar, cinnamon and cornstarch. Heat until apples are softened, about 5-7 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• In a small bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and lemon juice. Mix until smooth.
• After dough has doubled in bulk. On floured parchment or silicone mat roll out dough into a large rectangle about 12 x 10.
• Spread cream cheese filling down the center. Arrange apple mixture on top.
• Using a pizza cutter cut diagonally from end of dough towards center in 1 inch strips. Do this on both sides.
• Starting on one side of the braid pull one strip up and over the braid. Repeat with the other side. Continue alternating until braid is complete.
• Cover loosely with plastic. Let rise for about 30-40 minutes.
• Bake at 350 for about 20-25 minutes or until braid is golden brown.
• Combine powdered sugar, milk and vanilla. Drizzle over braid. Serve warm or allow to cool and then serve. Delicious either way.

APPLE DANISH BRAID

Steps:

• Combine butter, sugar, water, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium saucepan.
• Heat over medium heat until boiling.
• Boil 2 minutes while stirring often, then add diced apples.
• Simmer 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Remove the pan from heat and allow to cool.
• Mix dry crumble ingredients in a bowl (brown sugar, cinnamon and flour.) Cut in butter with two knives or a pastry cutter until thoroughly blended and crumbly.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Lay puff pastry sheet on the baking sheet, use a knife to cut 1" slices into the outer thirds of the dough.
• Spread cooled apple mixture along the middle third, then top with crumble.
• Fold over the outer edges to "braid" them bu criss-crossing them at a slight downward angle.
• Beat together egg and water and use a pastry brush to coat the top of the danish.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

APPLE DANISH BRAID

Steps:

• Place a large pot or deep skillet over high heat. Melt 3 Tbsp butter and stir in 1/4 cup sugar. Add sliced apples and stir until evenly coated. Add cranberries and let the mixture sit 3 min to caramelize before stirring. Cook apples and cranberries a total of 6-7 min, stirring 3 times or until apples are lightly caramelized. Transfer apples to a plate and let cool until just warm (not hot).
• Unfold thawed pastry over a lightly floured work surface and roll it in one direction to make it a total of 2 inches longer. The natural folds in the pastry will guide your process.
• Place the cranberry apple filling down the center of the pastry, keeping it in the middle third and leaving 1" of space at the top and bottom of the pastry.
• Cut away the top corners from the left and right thirds of the. Cut 8 equal 1" strips along each side, leaving 1/2" of space from the apples. Cut away excess dough at the bottom corners.
• Fold down top flap of dough and pinch the corners down to seal. Fold in the side strips, alternating from left to right. Fold up the bottom flap, pinching the corners to seal then finish folding in the last 2 side strips, pinching the corners to seal. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with silicone or parchment, brush with egg wash, sprinkle with coarse sugar, and bake at 400˚F for 18-22 minutes (mine was perfect at 20 min) or until top is golden brown.
• To make the glaze, stir together 1/3 cup powdered sugar with 1/2 Tbsp milk. Once the braided apple danish is at room temperature or just warm, drizzle with glaze, slice, and enjoy!

APPLE BRAID

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Unroll crescent dough and place in bottom of 9x13 inch baker.
• Lightly sprinkle with flour.
• Roll dough until perforations are sealed and dough is flat.
• Peel, core and slice apples. Cut into quarters.
• Combine sugar and spices in bowl. Add apples and toss lightly.
• Place apple mixture down center of dough, approximately 2-inches wide.
• Cut 10 slits, about 3/4 inch wide on each side of dough surrounding apple mixture alternating dough strips from one side to the other. Fold ends over to seal.
• Melt butter in Micro just until it liquefies; do not boil.
• Brush with butter. Bake 30 minutes.
• Cut and serve warm. Combine sugar and milk for glaze.
• Stir until smooth. Pour over warm braid.

TWISTED APPLE BRAID

Steps:

• Melt butter in large skillet on medium heat. Add sugar and apples; cook 8 to 10 min. or until apples are softened and sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally. Cool.
• Heat oven to 350ºF. Divide dough for Cheddar Pie Crust in half; place half the dough on lightly floured surface. Roll into 12x10-inch rectangle. Spread half the cream cheese spread down center of dough rectangle; top with half the apple mixture.
• Use sharp knife to cut pastry on both sides of apple mixture into 1-inch-wide strips; fold alternately over apple mixture to resemble braid. Fold over pastry at both ends of braid; press into braided pastry to seal. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make second braid. Place braids on large parchment-covered baking sheet.
• Bake 25 to 30 min. or until golden brown. Transfer to wire racks; cool slightly.

TWISTED APPLE BRAID

Steps:

• Put the ingredients for the dough in a bread machine (or mixer with a bread hook) and put it on the dough setting.
• While you are waiting for the dough, peel your apples and chop them up and put them in a microwave safe bowl with the rest of the filling ingredients. Stir it all up good, then put it in the microwave for 2 minutes. Take it out and stir, then cook for 2 more minutes. If the apples look like they are starting to soften, well, that's a good thing. If not, then cook them a little longer. Now set them somewhere to cool off a bit. You want them still warm, but not hot when you put them on the bread dough.
• When the bread dough is done, roll it out into a rectangle shape on a large floured surface. You may have to let it rest a couple times so it will stretch more. Just make sure you cover it with a clean towel while it's resting so it doesn't dry out.
• Pour the warm apple mixture down the middle and then cut strips of dough down each side about 1 inch wide, trying to make the same number of strips on both sides of the apple filling.
• Now comes the fun part: the braiding! It's simple, just alternate strips of dough down the middle, twisting each strip and then laying it down in the center, overlaying the strips in a sort of braid. Keep going until you get to the end.
• Now put the oven on the lowest setting it will go on (170 F) and when it's warm, switch it off. Spray the braid with cooking spray, cover, and set it in the oven for 20 - 30 minutes or until it's puffy.
• Whisk together the egg with a bit of milk and brush over the top of the braid, then sprinkle with raw sugar.
• Bake at 350 for about 40 - 45 minutes, covering loosely with foil about half the time so that it doesn't get too browned on top. Let cool just slightly before you cut off slices for your hungry crowd.

APPLE BRAID

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Peel, core, and slice the apples into thin slices then cut the slices in half. Toss the apple pieces with the sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice and sliced almonds.
• Bake the apple filling in a baking pan for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
• While the apple filling is baking, begin preparing the bread dough. Mix the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, yeast and salt) together in a large mixing bowl. Add the water and oil and mix the dough for 6 minutes using an electric mixer on medium-high speed.
• Spray a smooth clean surface with cooking spray and turn the dough out onto the surface. Knead the dough briefly to give it a smooth surface. Spray a rolling pin with cooking spray and roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about 12 inches x 16 inches in size. Lift onto a greased baking sheet.
• Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut each side (left and right) into horizontal strips about 1-inch wide down each side, leaving the center third of the dough uncut. Spread the apple filling down the middle third of the dough. Fold strips of dough into the center, crisscrossing the filling by alternating strips from each side. Lightly press dough ends to seal and straighten out the braid with your hands, if necessary.
• Bake the braid in the oven until golden brown (25 minutes). Remove from the oven and let the braid cool for several minutes.
• Whisk together the powdered sugar, whipping cream, vanilla extract, salt and nutmeg in a small bowl until blended and smooth.
• Brush the glaze in a thick coat over the entire surface of the apple braid while it is still cooling. Carefully transfer the braid to a cooling rack set on a baking sheet (to catch drips) to finish cooling and prevent the bottom of the braid from becoming soggy from sitting in any pooling glaze.
• When cool, slice and serve.