Pumpkin Spice Pull Apart Bread

Instructions

Makes 1 loaf

1. Start by making the apple mixture – put the chopped apples, butter and sugar into a saucepan and cook over a gentle heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring from time to time, until soft and caramelised.
2. Stir in the pumpkin spice drops and chopped pecans and set aside to cool
3. To make the dough warm the milk and sugar until just tepid (or body temperature) then whisk in the yeast. Cover and leave to froth for 5-10 minutes
4. While you’re waiting for the yeast put the flour, salt and butter into a large bowl and rub the butter in using the tips of your fingertips until no lumps of butter remain
5. Add the frothy yeast liquid to the bowl of dry and stir together till it starts to form a dough then tip out onto your work surface and knead for 5-10 minutes until the dough becomes soft and stretchy
6. Put into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel and put somewhere warm until the dough has doubled in size – this can take anywhere from 30 minutes to over an hour
7. For the filling, stir the sugar with the cinnamon then set aside
8. Prepare your tin if necessary – I butter and dust my tin with flour to help prevent it sticking. You can also use parchment to line the base and sides to make it easier to lift out
9. Once the dough has proved tip out onto a lightly dusted work surface and roll out to a rectangle 13.5 x 6.5 inches (34 x 17 cm)
10. Cut the dough in half lengthwise then in half across the middle giving you 4 smaller rectangles then brush them all with melted butter
11. Sprinkle 1/4 of the apple mixture over one of the quarters of dough then sprinkle over 1/4 of the cinnamon sugar
12. Lift one of the other pieces of dough on top of this and again sprinkle with another 1/4 of the apple and sugar mixture
13. Repeat this process with the two remaining dough pieces. For the last piece though, leave 1/3 of the dough completely empty at one end as this is the piece that will be the end of the loaf – if it’s covered in filling it will most likely fall off when you remove it from the tin once baked!
14. Cut the layers into 6 equal pieces then carefully place into your tin next to each other. Alternatively tip your tin up so it’s sitting upright and layer the dough by placing the cut stacks upon each other – when you turn it the right way up you’ll need to fan them out a bit so they’re evenly spaced in the tin. You don’t want them all bunched up one end!
15. Leave to prove once more until doubled in size
16. Just before the pull apart bread is ready to be baked heat your oven to 170 Fan / 190 C / 375 F / Gas 5
17. When the dough is ready bake for 40 minutes until crisp and golden
18. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before carefully tipping out into a wire rack to cool for another 5-10 minutes
19. Meanwhile make the glaze by mixing the icing sugar with a couple of drops of cream cheese flavouring and just a couple of drops of water till you get a runny icing
20. Homemade bread is best enjoyed the same day but this will keep reasonably well for another day or two – just store in an airtight container once completely cooled