Swedish Apple Yeast Bread-Betty Crocker Recipe Cards

The_Swedish_Chef's Note:

Betty Crocker Recipe Cards: Recipes Children Can Make/Card #15 It actually took a recipe that CHILDREN can make for me to achieve 100% success with the elusive yeast!!! I followed the recipe with a few exceptions (subbed cardamom for the cinnamon & bumped up the raisins). I held my breath while it was in the 'rising stage', popped it in the oven with a prayer...and out came the most beautiful, amazing, wonderful yeast bread!! This is NOT a quick bread taste and not overly sweet. However, it is cerainly sweet enough to satisfy oneself, especially with a hot cup of coffee. But wait! There's more! If you think it's good the 1st day, it is OUT OF THIS WORLD the second day!!! The yeast bread softens and the spices really are more pronounced; it was sublime heated at Medium in the microwave for a minute and then liberal amounts of fresh butter slathered on the cut edges. I plan to serve this for years to come: as an afternoon snack, for a delicious but not too sweet Brunch addition...or just because! But, I will intentionally make it the day before since the bread is one of those recipes that improves with age.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 1 hrs
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 6 slices

• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (I used cardamom instead)
• 1 apple (I used a medium-sized Rome)
• ½ cup raisins (recipe called for "a few". Ha! )
• 1 (¼ ounce) package active dry yeast
• ¾ cup water (Warm at 105-115 degrees)
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup flour
• 1 egg , beaten
• ¼ cup shortening (I used very soft butter)
• 1 ¼ cups flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (This was NOT in the original recipe. If you're using cinnamon above, then add this to the dough for )

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Plump 1/2 cup of raisins in either water or apple juice. Set aside.
3. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a 9 x 9" or 8 x 8" pan. (I used 8 x 8" with perfect results.).
4. Mix sugar and preferred spice with a fork in a small bowl. Sprinkle sugar mixture over melted butter in pan.
5. Take a medium to large apple and cut into very thin slices. The original photo showed the apple with it's peel left on; I preferred to remove it.
6. Arrange apple slices in rows, over the sugar mixture.
7. Drain raisins and sprinkle over the sliced apples.
8. In a large bowl, stir together the package of yeast and the 3/4 cup of warm water. Stir until completely dissolved.
9. To the yeast, add 1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 cup of flour. Beat by hand 2 minutes or until batter drops from spoon in sheets.
10. Add and beat until smooth 1 egg, 1/4 cup of shortening (I used very soft butter), 1 1/4 cup of flour, and the extra teaspoon of spice, if you prefer.
11. Drop batter by small spoonfuls over the apples and raisins in pan, keeping dough close to each other. Cover pan and allow to rise in warm place until double; 50-60 minutes.
12. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30-35 minutes or until top is lightly browned.
13. IMMEDIATELY remove the bread from pan by turning it upside down over serving plate. The sugar/butter mixture provides a glaze.
14. Allow to cool. This is nice the first day and spectacular the second!