Before we get to today’s recipe I need to make an announcement regarding Google Friends. Over the past month you may have noticed that the follow badge for Google Friends no longer appears here on Spicie Foodie. Apparently Google is doing away with Google Friends. On March 1, 2012 all non-Blogger websites will be the first to be affected by the removal of Google Friends. The rumor is that Google Friends is being removed as a way of encouraging people to use Google+. So please to those of you that follow Spicie Foodie on Google Friends make sure you add me on Google + or that you subscribe to the RSS feed on this page or you can also sign-up with your email by entering your email on the sidebar. Thank you everyone and now on to the recipe.
Wednesday I shared the recipe for my Smoked Chicken, Vegetable and Adzuki Soup. I mentioned eating the soup with a rustic bread, this is is. The bread is made with half Rye flour, half all purpose flour and a tad of apple fiber for a little extra flavor. I didn’t follow a recipe instead just made it up as I went. The most important thing was that the bread be fast and easy so we could enjoy it with the soup.
The picture above is apple fiber powder. Have any of you ever used it?, this is my first time. I found it at one of the local organic markets. I had never seen it or heard of it until a couple of days ago. To be honest I didn’t really understand the Czech package entirely, all I got was apple something or other. Of course I can never resist trying out new ingredients so I had to buy it. When I got home I opened the bag, it was like opening a bag of the freshest and most fragrant apples. It tasted just like apples, well apples in a dried state. Apple fiber powder is the by-product of apple cider. Isn’t it neat that all of the apple is used instead of wasted? Apparently apple fiber is very good for your body. Besides the obvious of providing fiber it cleans your digestive system and creates healthy gut flora. It can be mixed with liquid and ingested or you can also mix it up into your baked goodies. Obviously I choose the more appetizing method of consuming the apple fiber powder.
Rye bread is “THE” bread here, so rye flower is abundant. Czechs make the best rye bread and it has become one of my favorites. Even though perfect rye bread is available almost everywhere here, I have been wanting to learn how to bake it for a long time. Along with the apple fiber powder I picked up a small bag of rye flour to practice on. But upon learning more about the apple fiber powder I choose to experiment with that and put aside the traditional rye bread for another time. This is the result of my first rye bread experiment. I hope you enjoy it, and here is how you can make a loaf for yourself.
(If you would like to publish my recipe on your website please contact me first. I don’t bite :)
Rye Apple Fiber Bread
dry ingredients:
1.5 cups A.P. flour*
1.5 cups Rye flour*
1 heaping Tbsp. ground apple fiber powder*
large pinch salt
*I used organic products but if you don’t have them available use what you have.
wet ingredients:
1 cup lukewarm water
20 gm or .6-ounce fresh yeast
1 tsp granulated sugar
1. Place the lukewarm water, sugar and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Use a fork or spoon to break up the yeast. Allow the yeast to breakup and foam. In a separate bowl combine all of the dry ingredients. Once the yeast has foamed begin adding the mixed dry ingredients into the yeast mixture. Work the flour and wet ingredients to form a ball of dough. Work the dough on a floured surface. Knead until the dough is soft and elastic. Lightly grease the bowl and place the kneaded dough into it. Cover and allow to rise for about 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.
2. After the dough has risen, gently remove from the bowl onto a floured surface. Prepare a baking sheet. Gently shape the risen dough into the desired shaped and place on baking sheet. Cover with a clean cloth and allow to rise another 30 minutes. After 20 minutes turn the oven on to 200c or 392 f. Once the 30 minutes have passed place the bread into the center of oven and bake for 35-40 minutes. Allowed to cool 20 minutes before eating.
The bread was crispy on the outside and thick and soft inside. The slight apple undertones are a great addition to the typical rye taste. As you can see from the photos it tasted great with butter. It was also dense, but in a good way. Due to the winter and old stone building I live in, my kitchen is cool. Therefore the rise wasn’t exactly what I wanted so you may have better luck with your rise. Once warmer weather rolls around I will be trying this recipe out again. Either way this rustic bread will go perfectly with the Smoked Chicken, Vegetable and Adzuki Soup as well as any other warming soup you may be enjoying.
Have a great weekend everyone. See you on Sunday for Sunday Snapshots and next week we’ll have the YBR announcement.
P.S.
In case your local shop doesn’t have the apple fiber powder take a look at these.
What a beautiful bread. I’ve never heard of apple fiber powder before. I wish I can make a homemade bread like you. P.s. I think I’m following you via Google +, and I get email subscription anyway. I didn’t really use Google Friend before so I’m okay. :-)
Thank you Nami! I still have a lot to learn as far as baking bread, but it is something I really enjoy doing. Great, I’ll go check Google + :)
That bread looks wonderful! I love its crispy crust and soft inside.
Cheers,
Rosa
Thanks Rosa!
Those pictures look beautiful, I love bread and that one is magnificent! I’ve never heard of apple fiber but I’ll see if I can get, sounds really interesting. I am following in google + now :-)
Hi Ruth, Thank you! I hope you can get your hands on some apple fiber. Great, I’ll make sure I’m following you back.
Mmm… I bet that would be fantastic with a slab of hard cheese and a mug of black tea.
Oh that sounds so good Ruby. I may have to make another loaf.
Nancy that is a delicious looking bread and I would like to make it and try it with my husbands beloved Reubens….and the photography, makes me weak in my knees and heart, excellent work my friend.
Hi Adele, A Reuben on this bread sounds mouthwatering. You’ve made me hungry now ;)
What a delicious looking bread! I’m loving all of the flavors, wish I could slice me a piece right now! Thanks for sharing! =]
Thank you!
I love rye bread! I also love finding different health products to try and will be looking for the apple fiber at the store next week. Do you think I could put it in a smoothie?
Also, your photos are beautiful!
Hi Julie, You are like me with the curiosity then :) Yes, you could add it to anything you would normally add regular fiber to. A smoothie sounds great! Thanks!
I was pleasantly surprised to find that my boyfriend had a bag of apple fiber in his kitchen. So I’m going to run out to the store and pick up the rest of the ingredients. We do live in a high altitude. So we’ll see what tweaks I’ll have to make.
Hi Michelle, Oh that is great! Let me know how you tweak it so I can give it a try too :)
What a beautiful bread, and that’s fascinating information about the apple fiber…I wonder if I can find it in the US. It looks deliciously rustic and perfect for that soup—now I’m off to follow that link!
Hi Sue,
You should be able to find the apple fiber in any health food store. Thank you!
The bread looks amazing and I love the idea of apple fiber powder….too cool! Thanks for the recipe AND the introduction to a new product!
Thanks Ann!
Yeah, so sad the GFC is going away! Oh well, let’s say goodbye to the old and welcome the new…Google+! LOL…definitely will be following you. I always enjoy reading your posts. What a beautiful loaf of rye bread! I’ve never use the apple fiber before. What a great use of it and not wasting the by-product. I would be on the look out for it the next time I go grocery shopping. I can imagine I can use this ingredient in many of my baking recipes. :) Thanks for sharing and have a wonderful weekend.
Thanks Amy! I’ll make sure I find you on Google+ . Yes, from what I see it is commonly used in many different breads and baking recipes. You too have a great weekend!
I think I can’t find apple fiber where I live… Do you think I could substitute diced dried apples? Or maybe fresh grated apples?
Hi Caterina, Try looking in organic markets or health food stores. But I think the dried apples would work well. If you added grated apples you will have to adjust the flour so you don’t end up with a wet bread.
The bread looks so moist, lovely brownish colore too.Thats so cool that u discovered apple fibers. wow I just imagine what one can do with that. O.O I myself didnt know of its existence! I gotta check that out at the next apple pressing in my town. XD
thanks a lot for sharing, your photos are very inspiring, by the way.
Thank you Helene! So you taught me something new this week and now I taught you something, lol :) Have a great weekend.
Love the combination of flavors. The aroma from this bread must of been amazing.
Thanks Lazaro! It smelled yummy.
I have not used apple fiber yet, but will have to look for it at the market this weekend :) This bread is simply stunning and although I am not much of a baker, I do want to give this a try and maybe experiment with a few of my flours that are waiting in my pantry :)
Gorgeous shots as always sweetie, hope you are enjoying your weekend!
You always find fantastic ingredients so I’m sure you’ll have no problems finding apple fiber. You should give it a try Alisha, it is so simple for a novice like me. Let me know what you experiment with so I can try it too :) Thanks! I hope you are enjoying yours too.
What a great looking bread! Rye flour is only recently available to me where I live in Mexico, but now I have a great way to use it. Thanks!
Thanks! That is great, glad you have it available now.
What a perfect bread!!!!
Now I have to look for apple fiber powder… Have not used it yet.
Absolutely gorgeous photography…
Thanks Reem, and I hope you find the apple fiber.
Never heard of apple fiber powder before, but I’m really intrigued. I want to try this recipe out. Love rye bread and this one looks really good. Great crust on it!
Thank you Divya! I hope you can find the apple fiber and give it a try. Enjoy!
How interesting! I wish I could try this recipe but that apple fiber powder won’t be available around here for sure! Looks really delicious…
Oh sorry to hear about the apple fiber not being available there. Don’t you wish there was a way to automatically transport ingredients to one another? That would be great :)
Every loaf of bread I see I want to make. Is that bad? This rye is gorgeous, but I’m afraid I’ve never seen nor heard of apple fiber powder. I’ll definitely be on the look out for it though. :)
Hi Betty,
No, that is not bat at all :) I am the same way, hehe. Good luck and I hope you find it.