Apple and Cranberry Dressing (Dried Herbs)

This sweet and savoury baked apple cranberry dressing is the best of both worlds. Sweet apples and cranberries kissed with spices then baked into a warm holiday dressing.

10 cups sourdough bread, cut into ½" cubes (16 oz)
½ cup butter, diced into 1 Tbsp. pieces
3 cups yellow onion, finely diced
sea salt
2 large Granny Smith apples, cored and finely chopped (1 lb)
1 cup cranberries
2 tsp. dried parsley
2 tsp. dried sage
1 tsp. celery salt
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 cup apple juice
2 cups chicken broth, as needed

Preheat an oven to 300°F (150°C/130°C fan, Gas Mark 2). Grease a 9x13" baking dish with butter.

Transfer bread cubes to two rimmed baking sheets and spread into an even layer. Place both sheets on two opposite oven racks (set near center) of the preheated oven and allow to dry through, tossing bread cubes and rotating baking sheets to opposite racks once halfway through baking, about 30 minutes total. Remove from oven and set aside.

Increase oven temperature to 325°F (165°C/140°C fan, Gas Mark 3).

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add celery and onion, season lightly with salt and sauté until softened, about 10-13 minutes.

Add in apples and sauté until they begin to break down and soften slightly, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat, toss in cranberries, parsley, rosemary, thyme and sage.

Pour dried bread cubes in an extra-large mixing bowl. Pour apple mixture over bread cubes, season lightly with salt to taste then evenly pour in 1 cup of the chicken broth and gently toss mixture.

Slowly pour in more broth as needed and gently toss until bread has nearly soaked entirely through.

Pour bread mixture into the prepared baking dish and gently spread into an even layer.

Cover baking dish with foil and bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes then uncover and bake until warmed through and top is golden brown, about 15-25 minutes longer. Serve warm.

Makes 10 servings.

Cook's Notes:

• Don't use super airy sandwich bread. It is too delicate and won't absorb much liquid.
• If you don't have the time to dry your own bread you can use 8 cups of the store-bought unseasoned bread cubes - the freshly dried are better though and you can dry them a few days before you need to use them (or even weeks and freeze them).
• I used the full 2 cups broth but only add as much as it takes to moisten the bread, all brands are a little different.