Apple, Cranberry and Walnut Bread + Mimolette (Cantalope Cheese)

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a wonderful bread, but it may not be to everyone's liking. I make and serve it with fruit and cheese, but only to close friends and family whose tastes I know. Despite the apples, this is not a sweet bread and I use it in place of crackers to serve with sharp Cheddar or the Edam-like, Mimolette, which, because of its shape and color, is also known as cantalope cheese. There is more about Minolette following the recipe below. The bread is simple to make, and, if you have a stand mixer, it will do most of the work for you. The loaves are well-flavored and have a crust that offers only slight resistance to the tooth. The bread is a moderately good keeper, and while it makes excellent toast, I do have a caution to share with you. Use your broiler or a toaster oven if you decide to use the bread for toast. Pieces of fruit tend to slough off the bread slices and they will burn in a standard toaster. The aroma of your morning coffee can't fight with that of burnt fruit.The bread is also wonderful with goat or cream cheese. I do hope the adventurers among you will try this bread. I think you'll really enjoy it. Here is how it's made.

Apple,  Cranberry and Walnut Yeast Bread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Beth Hensperger (Bread for All Seasons)

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 cup warm water
1 cup warm milk
6 to 6 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 to 3 cups peeled, cored and coarsely chopped cooking apples
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
Grated zest of one large orange
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon salt

Directions:
1) In bowl of a heavy duty mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine yeast, brown sugar, warm water, warm milk and 2 cups of flour. Beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until bubbly, about 1 hour.
2) Add apples, dried cranberries, walnuts, orange zest, oil eggs, cinnamon, coriander, allspice, salt and 1 cup more of the flour. Beat until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until a soft dough is formed and leaves the side of the bowl.
3) Turn out on a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and springy, but still firm, about 3 minutes. Place in a greased container, turning to coat once to coat top, cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
4) Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and divide into 3 pieces. Place loaves in 3 greased 8 x 4-inch loaf pans. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until 1 inch above rims of pans, about 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. twenty minutes before baking. Bake in the center of oven until loaves are browned and sound hollow when tapped, 45-50 minutes. Remove from pans immediately and transfer to racks to cool completely before slicing. Yield: 3 loaves.

Mimolette is a cheese that was originally produced around the city of Lille, France. It was originally made at the request of Louis XIV who was looking for a French version of Edam cheese which was popular at that time. To differentiate it from Edam, however, he requested it be colored orange. This is a cow's-milk cheese and it gets its name from the French word molle, meaning "soft". This refers to the softness of the crust when young - with age it becomes harder. It has a grey crust and orangish flesh. The orange colour comes from the natural colorant, annatto. The cheese has a similar appearance to a cantaloupe melon. As the cheese ages it develops a grayish crust that is the result of added cheese mites, who by their action on the surface of the cheese, add flavor to the cheese. The mites are harmlesss, but disquieting to many. If you enjoy Edam or Gouda cheese you will like Mimolette.

                    

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