Beat egg white and water until frothy. Only use half of the mixture.

Mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a separate, small bowl.

Coat pecans in half of the egg white mixture.

Sift brown sugar mixture over the pecans and mix well.

Bake at 250 F (120 C) for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Cool slightly, then transfer to a Ziploc bag and crush the pecans with a meat tenderizer.

Mix all the ingredients for the apple together and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 F (175 C).

Prepare a loaf pan by greasing well with one to two tablespoons of softened butter, or your favorite oil. We do not want this loaf to stick to the pan at all!

In a small bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Set aside.

In a large bowl (3-4 quarts in size) using a handheld mixer (you can also use a stand mixer), beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla on a medium high speed until smooth and pale, about 4-5 minutes.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating to incorporate.

Add the sourdough discard and mix well.

Add the dry ingredients and blend until just incorporated.

Pour half of the mixture into a greased loaf pan. Top with half of the apples. Give it a quick swirl with a butter knife. Repeat with the remaining batter and apples.

Top everything with the candied pecans, if using.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cool in the pan for at least 15-20 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.