Caramel Apple Pull-Apart Bread

I picked up some a-m-a-z-i-n-g McIntosh apples
at the farmer's market the other day.

This caramel apple pull-apart bread is just the
kind of bread that suits this time of year...

...a hot cup of coffee and a good book also pair nicely with the bread...

It's fall... it's October and this bread is just the thing to make...

Here is the recipe:

1 cup warm milk (105 degrees-not hotter)

1 package active yeast

1 egg-beaten

1 stick of softened butter

2 Tbs granulated sugar

3 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

Bread Filling:

1/4 cup melted butter

1 cup peeled and finely chopped apples

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tsp apple pie spice - mix together  sugar and spice

Caramel Glaze:

1/2 stick of butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

2-3 Tbs heavy cream

1/2 cup toasted and chopped pecans

In a bowl add yeast to warm milk.  Let sit 5 minutes.  Add egg and sugar.

In a large standing mixer with dough hook, add the yeast/milk/egg/sugar mixture.  Add the flour and salt one cup at a time until the flour is absorbed.  With the mixer on low, add 1 tablespoon of the softened butter at a time until it is incorporated into the dough... Repeat until the entire stick is used.  The adding the butter part takes a about 5 minutes.

Let mixer run for 3-4 minutes, until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.   If your dough is too sticky, add 1 Tbs. of flour at a time --just until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
 Cover in a warm place for about an hour.

After the dough has risen. Punch it down and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface.  Roll out the dough into a large square, about 1/4 inch in thickness.  Spread the dough with the 1/4 cup melted butter (Using a pastry brush works well) and then sprinkle with the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture.  Sprinkle apples on top of the dough.  

Using a pizza cutter or a knife, cut the dough into squares or rectangles about the size of a playing card.  Stack the dough in sets of three.

Layer a greased 9-inch loaf pan with the stacks of dough.  Keep adding the stacks of three in different directions, without mushing them down.  If apples fall off, just pile them back inside the pan.  I stacked mine in all different directions, some vertical and some horizontal. Once the loaf pan is 3/4 full, cover and let rise again 30-40 minutes in a warm draft free location in the kitchen.

Bake bread in a 350 degree oven -on the middle rack- for 40 minutes or until a thermometer reads 200 degrees.  Remove bread from pan and cool on a cooling rack.

After bread has cooled.  Prepare the caramel glaze.  In a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and brown sugar.  Once it comes to a boil, add the heavy cream.  Return to a boil and then turn off the heat.  Let mixture cool for 30 minutes and then add confectioner's sugar.  If caramel glaze is too thick add a 1/2 tsp of cream to thin...likewise if not quite thick enough...add 1 Tbs of confectioner's sugar until thickened.  Pour warm caramel glaze over bread.  Add the toasted chopped pecans.

Enjoy.