23 May 2008

Dutch Oven Pull Apart Bread

CINNAMON APPLE PULL APART BREAD FOR THE DUTCH OVEN



I found this gem on Byron's Dutch Oven Recipes. This is a labour intensive endeavor. It couldn't be more of a contrast to the Pineapple Dump Cake posted earlier in terms of the effort required. But if you like the idea of hanging around the campsite, chilling at the picnic table while kneading dough and making individual bread balls ... it's all worth it in its delicious end.







BREAD + FILLING
5 C. bread flour
3 granny smith apples; peeled and chopped
1/2 C. sugar
3/4 C. raisins
2 T. active dry yeast
3/4 C. walnuts, chopped
2 t. salt
1 1/2 T. ground cinnamon
1 3/4 C. warm milk
1/2 T. ground nutmeg
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 C. brown sugar
1/3 C. butter, melted
3 T. butter, melted

COATING + ICING
1/2 C. butter, melted
2 C. powdered sugar
3/4 C. sugar
2 T. hot water
1 1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. vanilla extract

DOUGH Combine 2 cups of flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Add milk, eggs, and butter, beat until smooth. Mix in remaining flour, 1 cup at a time. Knead dough for 5-7 minutes on a lightly floured surface. Place dough in greased bowl, cover and place in a warm area until dough has doubled in size.

FILLING Combine apples, raisins, walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, and melted butter. Stir until brown sugar has coated fruit.

COATING Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.

IT ALL COMES TOGETHER Punch dough down and cut into thirds. Cut each third into 16 pieces. Make a small 2-3" circle. Place 1 teaspoon of filling in the center and wrap dough around pinching edges together to form a ball. Dip in melted butter and roll in cinnamon/sugar coating. Place in 10" Dutch oven starting around the outside working towards the middle until bottom of oven is covered. Spoon 3/4 cup filling over top of balls. Repeat. Cover and let raise for 30 minutes.

Bake using 8-10 briquettes bottom and 18-20 briquettes top for 30-40 minutes rotating oven and lid every 5-10 minutes until bread is golden. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes with the lid on before flipping onto a serving platter. Drizzle frosting over top and sides of bread.

Good luck. Have fun. Happy kneading.