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August 20 2026

Rustic Apple & Raspberry Oat Bake

Alessandro Cipriano Breakfast & Brunch, Taste Journal apple, breakfast, brunch, Honey, Oats, Raspberries

Breakfast & Brunch · Da Cipriano

Rustic Apple &
Raspberry Oat Bake

With honey, vanilla, lemon zest and toasted oats.

A warm and comforting oat bake combining apple and raspberries with cinnamon, honey, vanilla and a delicate touch of fresh lemon zest. Greek yogurt keeps the bake tender, while oat milk gives the batter just enough lightness. Served warm with toasted oats, fresh fruit and a little honey, it makes a simple yet beautifully satisfying breakfast or brunch.

Prep Time 10 min

Bake Time 25–30 min

Temperature 175°C / 350°F

Serves 2–4

Ingredients

For the Oat Bake

1 cup rolled oats, approx. 90 g
2 eggs
1 apple, cored and roughly chopped
¼ cup Greek yogurt, approx. 60 g
¼ cup unsweetened oat milk, approx. 60 ml
2 tbsp honey
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp good-quality vanilla paste or vanilla extract
Finely grated zest of ½ organic lemon
100–125 g fresh raspberries

For Serving

2–3 tbsp rolled oats
Fresh raspberries
Thinly sliced fresh apple
Greek yogurt, optional
Honey, for drizzling

Preparation

Preheat the oven

Preheat the oven to 175°C / 350°F. Lightly grease a small baking dish.

Blend the batter

Place the rolled oats, eggs, chopped apple, Greek yogurt, oat milk, honey, cinnamon, baking powder, vanilla and finely grated lemon zest in a blender.

Blend until smooth

Blend until smooth and well combined. The mixture should be thick and creamy, but still easy to pour into the baking dish.

Add the raspberries

Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Scatter the fresh raspberries over the surface and gently press a few of them into the batter.

Bake

Bake for 25–30 minutes, until beautifully golden on top and just set in the centre.

Let it rest

Remove from the oven and allow the oat bake to rest for about 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Toast the oats

Add 2–3 tablespoons of rolled oats to a dry frying pan. Toast gently over medium heat until lightly golden and fragrant, then immediately remove them from the hot pan.

Rustic Apple & Raspberry Oat Bake served with Greek yogurt, apple, raspberries and honey — Served warm with Greek yogurt, fresh raspberries, apple, toasted oats and a light drizzle of honey.

Breakfast & Brunch

To Serve

Cut the oat bake into 2 generous portions for breakfast or brunch, or into 4 smaller pieces. Serve warm with fresh raspberries and thinly sliced apple. Add a spoonful of Greek yogurt if desired, scatter with the toasted oats and finish with a light drizzle of honey.

Freshly baked Rustic Apple & Raspberry Oat Bake with raspberries

A Little Finishing Touch

Da Cipriano Tip

Use only the finely grated lemon zest rather than lemon juice. It adds a fresh citrus note without overpowering the apple, raspberries, cinnamon and vanilla. Toasting the oats just before serving adds a delicate crunch and brings out their warm, nutty flavour.

August 8 2026

Thanksgiving Russian Loaf – Hazelnut & Citrus

goldbridge-admin Bread & Baking, Dolci, Taste Journal alessandro cipriano, apple, bread and baking, cinnamon, da cipriano, festive baking, hazelnut loaf, hazelnuts, holiday baking, homemade, lemon, orange, russian loaf, sultanas, sweet bread, taste journal, thanksgiving, thanksgiving russian loaf, yeast dough

Da Cipriano · Holiday Baking

Thanksgiving
Russian Loaf

Made by Alessandro Cipriano

A festive twisted loaf filled with hazelnuts, apple, cinnamon, sultanas and fresh citrus — finished with a delicate lemon glaze.

Thanksgiving Russian Loaf by Alessandro Cipriano

A festive bake for the season

Tradition with a personal touch

Every year, I look forward to Thanksgiving. I love the tradition of gathering around the table and the freedom it gives me to spend time in the kitchen, revisit familiar recipes and try something new.

For this version, I have taken a traditional Russian Loaf and given it my own seasonal touch — with hazelnuts, apple, cinnamon and fresh citrus.

Prep Time 2 hours

Bake Time 40 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes

Thanksgiving table with homemade Russian Loaf

The Recipe

Ingredients

For the Dough

300 g white flour, sifted
½ tsp salt
40 g sugar
60 g butter, softened
½ cube fresh yeast, crumbled
150 ml milk, lukewarm

For the Filling

150 g ground hazelnuts
80 g sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
40 g sultanas
1 small apple, grated with the skin
50 ml cream
Zest of ½ orange
Juice of ½ orange
Zest of ½ lemon
Juice of ½ lemon

For the Glaze

40 g icing sugar
10 g fresh lemon juice

How to make it

Method

Preparing the dough for Thanksgiving Russian Loaf

Step 01 · The Dough

Prepare the dough

Mix the flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Add the softened butter in small pieces. Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm milk and pour it into the flour mixture.

Mix everything together, then knead until the dough is soft, smooth and elastic. Place it in a bowl, cover with a damp cloth and leave to rise at room temperature for approximately 1 hour, or until doubled in volume.

Hazelnut apple and citrus filling for Russian Loaf

Step 02 · The Filling

Prepare the filling

Combine the ground hazelnuts, sugar, cinnamon, sultanas, grated apple, cream, orange zest and juice, and lemon zest and juice.

Mix thoroughly until evenly combined, then leave the filling to rest for approximately 30 minutes.

Rolling out dough for Thanksgiving Russian Loaf

Step 03 · Rolling

Roll and fill

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface to form a rectangle. Spread the filling evenly over the dough, leaving approximately a 1 cm border around the edges.

Roll up the dough from the narrow side to create a compact, even roll.

Shaping and twisting the filled Russian Loaf

Step 04 · Shaping

Create the signature twist

Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the roll in half lengthwise. Turn the cut surfaces upwards so that the layers of filling remain visible.

Twist the two halves together into a spiral, keeping the exposed filling facing upwards as much as possible.

Russian Loaf resting in the baking tin before baking

Step 05 · Second Rise

Let the loaf rise again

Place the twisted loaf into a baking tin lined with baking paper. Cover loosely and leave to rise at room temperature for another 60 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 190°C using the convection setting.

Step 06 · Baking

Bake until beautifully golden

Bake the Russian Loaf in the preheated oven for approximately 40 minutes, until deeply golden and baked through.

Remove from the oven and leave it in the tin briefly while preparing the lemon glaze.

Thanksgiving Russian Loaf finished with lemon glaze

Finished Thanksgiving Russian Loaf ready to serve

The finishing touch

Mix the icing sugar with the fresh lemon juice until smooth and free of lumps. Lightly brush the glaze over the loaf while it is still warm, then allow it to cool.

Slice, serve and enjoy with tea or coffee.

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