Apple Cinnamon Brioche

Apple cinnamon brioche - a soft, sweet vegan brioche style braided bread filled with juicy cinnamon apples.

📝 Ingredients

• 300 g (2 + 1/2 cups) white bread flour
• 7 g (2 1/4 teaspoons) fast action (instant) yeast
• 50 g (1/4 cup) caster or granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 190 g (3/4 cup + 2 teaspoons) unsweetened non-dairy milk (I use soy) (lukewarm)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 50 g (3 1/2 Tablespoons) vegan block butter (softened)
• 600 g eating apples (about 4 medium apples)
• juice of 1 lemon
• 30 g (2 Tablespoons) vegan block butter
• 75 g (1/3 cup + 1 Tablespoon) light brown soft sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
• pinch salt
• 1 Tablespoon plain (all-purpose) flour
• soya milk to glaze
• demarera sugar for sprinkling

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1To make the dough, place the bread flour in a large bowl, add the yeast to one side and the salt and sugar to the other, stir to combine.
2. 2Add the lukewarm milk and the vanilla and mix to form a shaggy dough. Turn out onto an un-floured surface and knead for 5-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough will be sticky at first but resist the temptation to add extra flour, it will become smooth after a minute or two of kneading (you may need to scrape it off the surface with a dough scraper). Of course you can knead it in a stand mixer if you have one.
3. 3Add the softened vegan butter. Continue to knead until the butter is fully incorporated and the dough is smooth and elastic. It may seem greasy and messy at first but keep kneading and I promise you the butter will all mix in and the dough will become smooth.
4. 4Once the butter is fully incorporated the dough should look smooth and silky and it should pull away from the work surface or sides of the bowl cleanly. It should still be soft and slightly sticky however
5. 5Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and set aside to rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1-2 hours.
6. 6While the dough is rising make the filling. Peel, core and slice the apples and place in a bowl with the lemon juice, toss gently to combine. Melt the butter in a wide frying pan and add the apples, sugar, cinnamon, salt and vanilla extract. Stir to combine then sauté gently until the fruit has softened slightly and the juices have reduced to a thick syrup, set aside to cool. Once the apples have cooled, pour off the excess juices then sprinkle over the tablespoon of flour and stir in gently.
7. 7Punch down the risen dough and give it a brief knead to knock out any air bubbles. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into an approximately 25 x 38 cm/ 10 x 15 inch rectangle. Transfer the rectangle onto a piece of baking parchment and place on a baking tray. Spoon the apple filling down the centre.
8. 8Cut the dough surrounding the filling into diagonal strips about 4 cm/ 1 ½ inches wide, making sure to leave a border of uncut dough around the filling, there should be the same number of strips on either side.
9. 9Fold over the ends, then cross the cut strips of dough over the filling, alternating sides so that it looks like it has been braided.
10. 10Loosely cover the dough with oiled cling film and leave it to rise until it is puffy and springs back slowly when you press it gently with a finger – about 45 minutes to 1 hour. The bread is ready to bake when it looks puffy and if you gently press the dough with a finger it springs back slowly most of the way but leaves a small indentation. If it springs back quickly and fills in completely then it isn't ready yet.
11. 11While the dough is rising preheat the oven to 180°C/160℃ fan/350°F/gas mark 4.
12. 12Gently brush the risen dough with soya milk and sprinkle with demarera or pearl sugar. Bake for about 40 minutes until golden and cooked through. Loosely cover with tin foil towards the end of baking if it starts to colour too much.
13. 13Leave the bread to cool on the tray for 10 minutes then carefully slide it onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely. Best eaten the day it is made but will keep for a couple of days in an airtight container.