apple walnut cinnamon bread

There is a nearby farmer's market that sells a sweet bread made with apples, walnuts, and cinnamon. Here, I tried to replicate it. I decided to use a recipe for cinnamon rolls for the bread base and made a swirl using apples, cinnamon-sugar, and chopped walnuts. It is best eaten warm out of the oven.

Apple Walnut Cinnamon Bread

For bread:
Adapted from Cinnamon Rolls with Pecans, Bon Appetit, October 1999

1 1/2 c. warm whole milk, 105 to 110 degrees
3/4 c. sugar
2 envelopes active dry yeast
4 tbs. butter, room temperature
1 tsp. salt
4 c. all-purpose flour

For filling:

1 stick butter, room temperature
2 apples, peeled, cored, diced
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 c. light brown sugar
1/3 c. walnuts, chopped
1 egg, beaten

Combine 1 1/2 c. warm milk and 3/4 c. sugar in large bowl. Sprinkle yeast over and let stand until foamy, about 6 minutes. Mix in butter and salt. Add enough flour, 1 cup at a time, to form soft dough. Turn dough onto floured work surface. Knead dough until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if sticky, about 10 minutes.

Lightly butter another large bowl. Place dough in bowl; turn to coat with butter. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, then cover with kitchen towel. Let dough rise in warm, draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Beat butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar in medium bowl to blend.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Turn dough onto floured work surface. Divide dough in half Roll out gently to 9 x 10 inch rectangle. Spread half butter-cinnamon-sugar mixture onto dough. Sprinkle half of apples and walnuts on bread. Roll to form loaf. Press seams closed. Place in buttered 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Repeat with remaining dough. Brush with egg wash.

Bake until golden and cooked through, 45 minutes to 1 hour.