For the last few years, I’ve been spending late November and early December frantically making jam and preserves for all our friends and family.
This has become our go-to gift for the holidays. It’s an effort to share something that I love but also to put a stop to buying things that no one needs as a way to show my gratitude for having them in my life. But the irony of all this jam making is that there is an artisan producer right here in Madison that does it year-round, and with significantly more mastery than I do.
Over the last year, I’ve been fortunate enough to befriend Matt and Clare, the makers of Quince & Apple Preserves. We’ve enjoyed cheese and preserve pairings together, we’ve had our kids play together, and we’ve generally enjoyed each other’s company. But before I knew them personally, I knew their preserves well. You may know them too, since I’ve written about their Peach Chamomile flavor that I stuffed into french toast with mascarpone cheese. Or their Apple and Cranberry jam that topped a shortbread crust along side gruyere and almonds. Or lest not forget the Pear Mostarda that Jason and I have become addicted to and pairs perfectly with prosciutto and melon toasts. These are just the things I’ve blogged about. Quince and Apple has a regular presence in our household.
This weekend, I decided to take on another one of their masterpieces: their Shallot Confit with Red Wine. Given that the holidays are in full swing, I wanted to make something that could stand up as a centerpiece of a cocktail party or be passed as an appetizer to all my guests while snow fell delicately outside my window. Yes, I may be anti-holiday decorations but I love a good reason to throw a party.
A twisted bread seemed like just the thing to do, pairing their sweet shallot concoction with creamy blue cheese and pungent Kalamata olives. The dough for the bread is easy to make–I chose to do it with my stand mixer but your hands will do just fine here. It takes a while to rise, but if you’re like me, you’ve got plenty of other things you can use that time for before guests arrive.
Once the dough has risen comes the fun part: rolling it out (it’s remarkably easy), spreading the confit and accoutrements, and twisting it into a beautiful loaf. The filling pops out the top and is laced throughout the bread in all the layers. It’s truly a joy to cut into and see.
You can find all of Quince & Apple’s products in stores around the US, or you can buy online (the Shallot Confit with Red Wine, specifically). If you’re looking to get me a gift this year, may I recommend you check out the gift boxes. And yes, I understand the irony of both gifting jams and wanting to receive them in return.
- 2 teaspoons instant dry yeast
- ½ cup milk, warmed to 110 degrees
- ¼-1/2 cup water, warmed to 110 degrees
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1¼ teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1 large egg, whisked
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 6 ounce jars Quince & Apple's Shallot Confit with Red Wine
- ½ cup kalamata olives, chopped
- ¾ cup blue cheese, crumbled
- Fit a stand mixer with a dough hook. Add flour, yeast, milk, ¼ cup of water, salt, egg, and olive oil to bowl. Knead dough until it comes together, about 5 minutes, adding a splash more water at a time if it's too dry. Finish kneading by hand. Transfer dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover. Place in a warm place to rise for about 60-75 minutes, until it's about doubled in size.
- Once dough has doubled, punch down slightly to deflate. Roll dough to a 8 by 20 inch rectangle on parchment paper. Spread shallot confit evenly on the dough, staying about ½ an inch away from the edges. Next, sprinkle olives on top, followed by blue cheese.
- Starting from the long end, roll dough into a log. Pinch edges shut to seal. Transfer parchment paper to a baking sheet and place log in the center with the seam side down.
- Starting about ½ inch from one end of the log, use a knife to cut a slit about 1 inch deep down the length of the log, ending about ½ inch from the other end. Twist the log into an S shape and tuck the ends underneath the center of the log and pinch. Cover and let rise for another 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F. Once bread has risen, bake for 30-45 minutes, until bread is nicely browned and cheese is bubbly. Let cool slightly before cutting.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I was compensated to create recipes for Quince & Apple. As always, I only work with products I use myself and all opinions are my own. Thanks for continuing to support Things I Made Today!
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