Apple Bread (healthier version)

I was given a bunch of apples from my boss at work last week.  The apples were NOT pretty - big green spotty apples.  But the way they looked didn't matter.  I knew from past experience that these were great baking apples.  So my task at hand was to find a new apple bread recipe that wouldn't be so bad for us.  In my Taste of Home Healthy Cooking Annual Recipes 2010, I found just what I was looking for.  But of course, I had to tweek it a little bit!  The end result was delicious.  Not too sweet, but very tasty.

Apple Bread (healthier version)


Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour (original recipe called for 3 cups white - I substituted 1 of the cups for wheat)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup sugar (original recipe called for 1-1/2 cups sugar - I substituted 1/2 cup for brown sugar)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups chopped peeled tart apples
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used pecans, but walnuts would be good too)


Topping (the recipe called for this topping but I opted to NOT use it - instead I put the nuts in my bread)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp chopped walnuts
1/3 cup cold butter


Directions
In a large bowl, combine the first 8 ingredients.  In another bowl, whisk the eggs, applesauce, oil and vanilla.  Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.  Fold in apples and nuts.  Transfer to two 8-in x 4-in loaf pans coated with cooking spray.


If using the topping, combine the flour, sugar and nuts; cut in butter until crumbly.  Sprinkle over batter.


Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

My Baking Screw-up

Have you ever wondered what sweet bread would be like without the "sweet"?  I can't say that I ever wondered, but I thought I'd share my goof-up.  I had made my first batch and it turned out beautifully.  The picture above was from that first batch.  I had more apples so I made a second batch.  Well, it did not do as well.  Before I ever put it in the oven, I knew it didn't look right but I put it in the oven anyways.  I took it out later and what a disappointment!  Here is the comparison:

In case you can't tell, the one on the right looked bad and because I felt compelled to find out if it could be salvaged - I tasted it.  YUCK!  I went over the recipe in my mind trying to figure out what I left out and suddenly I realized it was the sugar.  Well, those two loaves went into the trash.  What a waste!  But live and learn!

The moral to the story....don't forget the sugar!!!