his
is, by far, my favorite way to enjoy blackberries. It starts with a rich yeast bread
(similar to a French brioche), that is covered with fresh blackberries and pieces of apple,
and ends with a cinnamon flavored streusel which sweetens the fruit and
adds a nice crunch.
There is a few things to remember when making this bread dough; first, be
sure to have the butter at room temperature so it can be easily incorporated
into the dough. Second, this dough does seem to take a little more
time to rise than a regular bread dough, so be patient. Once the
dough has been made and placed in your pan, it is then topped with chunks of
apple and fresh blackberries. The question is sometimes asked if you
can use frozen blackberries in this recipe as it is not always possible or
even feasible to use fresh blackberries. I will say that while my
preference is to use fresh, as they hold their shape better and are less
watery, you can use frozen blackberries in a pinch. Just be sure not
to defrost the
berries before using and the bread may take between 5 to 10 minutes longer to bake. Of course, for those who do not like blackberries, you could use fresh
raspberries, or just leave out the berries completely and top only with
diced apples (use three apples instead of the one that is called for in the
recipe).
There may be
times when you want to have this bread freshly made for breakfast. This is
possible as you can start the recipe the day before, by making the dough and
then letting it rise. After the dough has doubled in size, punch it down,
place it on your prepared baking sheet, and brush the surface with the egg
wash. Next, cover the pan with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator
overnight. The final assembly will take place in the morning. Just make sure
you keep the remaining egg wash, covered, in the refrigerator as you will
need to brush the dough again in the morning. You might also want to make
the streusel mixture the night before. Again, just keep it covered, in a
separate bowl, in the fridge overnight. The next morning, remove the dough
from the refrigerator and turn on the oven. Brush the dough again with the
egg wash and then cover the dough with the fresh blackberries and diced
apple. Sprinkle the streusel mixture on top and bake as directed. Cover and
store any leftovers in the fridge.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, stir together the lukewarm
milk, 1 tablespoon white sugar, and the yeast. Let this mixture stand 5-10
minutes or until the yeast is foamy. At this point add the
flour, the remaining 3 tablespoons white sugar, and the salt and beat until
combined. Add the egg and knead the dough for a few minutes. With
the mixer running, gradually add small pieces of the softened butter, continuing
to knead the dough for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until the dough is soft and
silky feeling. (Note: As you beat in the butter you will notice the dough
first comes together, then falls apart, and finally comes together once again.)
Place the dough in a buttered bowl, cover with plastic wrap
or a clean towel, and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size (this
will take about 1 1/2 - 2 hours depending on the warmth of your room). Once it has doubled in size, punch the
dough down and, on a lightly floured surface, roll or press into a 13 x 9 inch
(33 x 23 cm)
rectangle. Transfer to a buttered or parchment lined baking sheet. Then, in a
small bowl, whisk together the cream, egg and cinnamon for the egg wash. With a pastry brush, lightly brush the surface of the dough with the egg wash.
Cover the dough and let rise until doubled in size (about 45 minutes to 1 hour).
While the dough is rising, make the streusel topping. In a small bowl combine the sugar, flour, and cinnamon. With a pastry
blender, or your fingertips, cut in the butter until the mixture is lumpy.
Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place
rack in center of oven. When the dough has doubled in size, once again lightly
brush the surface with the egg wash. Evenly place the blackberries and
diced apple on the dough and then sprinkle with the streusel topping. Bake
for about 35 minutes or until nicely browned and cooked through. Remove
from oven and place on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room
temperature.
Serves 6 - 8
Sources:
Lawson, Nigella, Nigella Bites. New York: Hyperion,
2002.
Luchetti, Emily. Four-Star Desserts. New York; Harper Collins
Publishers, 1996.
Mushet,
Cindy. Baking with the American Harvest Newsletter, 1995.
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Blackberry & Apple Bread with a Streusel
Topping
