Maple Sugar Bread

Ingredients

Directions

Combine apples and water in a 2 or 3 quart enameled saucepan, bring to a boil over high heat.

Reduce heat to low and simmer partially covered for about 20 minutes, or until the apples are soft and a slice can be mashed easily against the side of the pan with the back of a spoon.

Puree apples through a food mill or rub them through a fine sieve into a bowl.

Measure and reserve 1 1/2 cups of the puree; save any extra puree for another use.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350.

Drop the hazelnuts into enough boiling water to immerse them completely andamp; cook briskly, uncovered, for 2 min.

Drain nuts in a sieve and with a small, sharp knife, peel them while they are still hot.

Spread nuts in a baking dish andamp; toast them in the middle of the oven for about 10 min. stirring them from time to time so they color delicately on all sides.

Chop hazelnuts coarsely and set them aside.

(do not turn off the oven) Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and sift them onto a plate or a sheet of wax paper.

Place the raisins in a bowl, add about 1/4 cup of the flour mixture and toss gently but thoroughly togeher.

Use teaspoon of butter to coat bottom andamp; sides of a 9x5x3 loaf pan.

If maple sugar is moist, grate it on the finest side of a stand-up hand grater.

If it is dry, grate it with a nut grinder. (about 1 1/2 cups of grated maple sugar.)

In a deep bowl, cream 1/2 cup of softened butter and maple sugar together, beating and mashing them against the sides of the bowl with a large spoon until they are light and fluffy. (or use an electric mixer) Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Then beat in about 2/3 cup of the flour mixture andamp;, when it is completely incorporated, about 1/2 cup of the apple puree.

Repeat two more times until all of flour mixture and apple puree have been added, then stir in the hazelnuts and raisins.

Pour the batter into buttered pan, spreading it and smoothing the top with a spatula, and bake in the middle of the oven for 1 1/2 hours, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick or cake tester inserted in.