Apple Streusel Coffee Bread

When I was first married nearly fifty years ago, I would prepare this apple streusel for my husband using frozen Bridgeford Bread. He loved it! The preparation was so easy, delicious, and bakery worthy, especially with shifted powdered sugar over the crust. Well, fast forward to present day, I no longer use Bridgeford Bread. (It’s not vegan!) This recipe needed modifications - aka veganizing. Since Bridgeford Bread contains dairy products, I replaced the frozen bread with prepackaged puff pastry which is vegan. Viola! A vegan streusel that satisfies my sweet tooth, but, surprisingly, my husband couldn’t tell the difference. Funny how that works. I celebrate those moments when he chooses to be vegan. Enjoy…

Ingredients

1 pkg. Puff Pastry sheets

4 Tbsp. vegan butter, divided (Earth Balance or Miyoko’s)

1 1/2 cups finely chopped, peeled apples

1/2 cup packed brown sugan

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 Tbsp. flour

2 Tbsp. sugar

1/3 cup slivered almonds (optional)

Directions

If frozen, thaw puff pastry dough according to package directions. On floured surface roll each sheet of dough into a rectangle. Brush with 1 Tbsp. melted butter. Arrange half the apples down the center of each rectangle. Combine brown sugan and cinnamon in a small bowl, sprinkle over apples. Cutting toward filling, make 2-inch-long cuts in dough at 1-inch intervals on both sides of apples. Fold strips alternately over apples; fold under ends of loaf. Place loaves on a greased or parchment lined cookie sheet. Brush top with remaining melted butter.

Topping: Combine flour and sugar in small bowl. Cut in 1 Tbsp. of butter till mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle half the crumb mixture over each loaf. Top with slivered almonds, if using. (See Note) Bake in a 350-degree F, oven for 30 minutes or till brown. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack. Serve warm.

Note: As an alternative to crumble topping, shift 1/4 cup of powdered sugar over cooled streusel.

Makes 2 loaves.