Carrot Apple Raisin Dutch Oven Swirl Bread

There are some Saturdays where I wake up, eat some breakfast and start to day dream about what I would like to bake that day.  It is normally after a busy work week, where I haven’t really had a chance to think about what I want to try out over the weekend.  Such was the case with this bread.  It kind of just happened.  My mom had made some really delicious sweet yeast bread over the holidays and I was kind of dreaming about making cinnamon swirl bread, but at the same time I didn't really want to go through all the kneading after trying out Momofuku’s Cinnamon Bun Pie recipe a couple of weeks ago. That’s when I remembered how easy the no-knead Dutch oven bread is. 

Then I remembered, besides always having cinnamon and raisins on hand, that I also had some apples and carrots I really needed to use up.  I was going with the “here goes nothing” if it doesn't work, it’s not the end of the world, sometimes you just have to experiment.  Well it turned out delicious.  The apples bake nicely, the carrots just add great color to the bread, plus I mean you get a little vegetable while enjoying cinnamon swirl bread…there is nothing wrong with that.  The raisins plumped up nicely, but the thing I need to change for next time is add more cinnamon sugar swirl.  Otherwise it turned out great.  I even tried making “rolls” out of some of the dough, which really turned into more of a scone/English muffin because of the airiness of the dough.  I will definitely be making this one again though, and you couldn't ask for an easier bread recipe.  Enjoy!

Loved these tri-color carrots...

Carrots shredded...not going to lie; I took the easy way out and used my food processor.

2 cups cubed apples

Apples, carrots and raisins stirred into the dough and then left to rise.

Prepping the brown sugar and cinnamon.

Time for a little rolling...then more rising.

Cinnamon Apple Raisin Dutch Oven Bread: (recipe adapted from Simply so Good)

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon yeast

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup shredded carrots

2 cups cubed apples

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup (about 1/2 red apple) apple, chopped

1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped (optional)

Swirl:

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ginger

3/4 cup brown sugar

1.  In a Pyrex measuring cup, heat water for 40 seconds, until warm.

2.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and yeast.  Add water, shredded carrots, chopped apples, and raisins, and mix until a shaggy mixture forms.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 6-8 hours.  Overnight works great (or mix in the morning and bake that night after work).  In a small bowl, mix together the swirl ingredients and store in an airtight container.

3.  Heat oven to 450 degrees.  When the oven has reached 450 degrees place a cast iron pot with a lid in the oven and heat the pot for 30 minutes. 

4.  Meanwhile, pour dough onto a heavily floured surface, sprinkle with swirl ingredients, then fold over onto itself, shaping it into a ball.  Cover with plastic wrap and let set while the pot is heating.  Remove hot pot from the oven and drop in the dough.  Cover and return to oven for 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes remove the lid and bake an additional 15 minutes.  Remove bread from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.