Sourdough Apple Braid

I have read a number of posts recently where ladies have incorporated apples into their recipes. Tis the season for a little apple love. A couple of days ago I decided to make another batch of sourdough with the same recipe I gave you earlier. It's so easy to pull my sourdough starter out of the fridge in the evening, mix in a few things, and leave it on my counter to rise all night. I love that process. The airy, pungent dough greats me with a soft "hello" when I come downstairs in the morning. By mid morning we have the aroma of sourdough bread drifting through the house, and by noon there are loaves cooling on the counter. Surely there is bread in heaven.

For this impromptu recipe I concocted an apple filler, much like you would make the filling for an apple pie. Chunks of pealed apples, sugar, lemon, cornstarch, spices -- you know what I mean. Once again I divided my risen dough in quarters and made two regular rounds (for sandwiches, etc.) and two apple braids. Oh goodness, does it get any better than this? Then I plopped some of that appley goodness in the middle of the dough and braided away. I let all four breads rise once again, and then I made up a little glaze of 1/6 cup honey and 2 Tbsp. melted butter and brushed it on the tops of the braids. Without further adieu all four items were shuffled into the oven. Oh, the sweet fragrance that permeated my house.

Meet my Sourdough Apple Braid...

Do you notice that the appley cinnamon filling is hard to contain? It keeps playing peek-a-boo. Like this...

And this...

I'm beginning to worry about the safety of this loaf.

It may not make it to the conclusion of this photo shoot...

Fortunately, I made two of these.
I can have one fully digested before my husband comes home
and still have one left to share with him.

How's a girl supposed to keep a slim-trim figure
when she reasons like that?

Mmmmmmmm
Generous chunks of smooth, sweetened apples...