Apple Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread Recipe

Instructions

1. Combine the dry ingredients. Measure the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment.
2. Add the liquids and mix. Stir the hot water and milk together (the hot water and cold milk should result in a liquid of about 115°F/46°C). Add the milk mixture and the eggs to the bowl and start the mixer on low, letting it go for a minute or two until the dough is almost combined. Add the butter, a few pieces at a time, while the mixer is on. Increase the speed one level and continue to mix until the dough looks smooth (it will be very soft), about 6 minutes.
3. Let the dough rise. Transfer the dough to an ungreased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let sit on the counter for an hour, until doubled in size, about 90 minutes, or it can be chilled overnight.
4. Make the filling. Toss the apples with brown sugar, melted butter, cinnamon and nutmeg to coat well and set aside.
5. Grease a 9-x-5-inch loaf pan and line the tin with parchment so that the paper comes up and over the long sides of the pan.
6. Roll the dough. Tip the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out into a 15-inch (38 cm) square.
7. Fill & fold the dough. Spoon a third of apples to cover the middle third of the dough, in a strip. Fold one side over the apples to cover them and spoon a third of the apples on top of this piece of dough. Fold the opposing strip of dough over to cover the apples (you may have to stretch the dough a little) and top this with the remaining apples. You will now have a rectangle of 3 layers of dough with 3 layers of filling.
8. Trim the dough and fill the tin. Trim the dough on the long sides, so that the edges are all now open (and can pull apart once baked). Cut the loaf into 3 equal sections which will each be around a 5-inch (13 cm) square. Carefully lift each stack of dough & apples and place them in the pan so that the dough pieces sit upright (like filing papers in a filing cabinet). Shape the dough trimming into a square and place this at the front of the loaf, covering the one short side with apples (this will prevent the apples from sticking to that side of the pan after baking). Cover the pan loosely and let it sit on the counter to rise for 30 minutes (add 30 minutes if using dough that chilled overnight).
9. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Uncover the pan and bake for about 45 minutes, until the bread turns a rich golden brown color; you can check the doneness by gently pulling apart the bread at the center. Cool the bread in its pan on a rack for at least 30 minutes before removing it to glaze.
10. Make the glaze. Whisk the icing sugar, milk, and vanilla together and drizzle this on top of the slightly cooled bread. Let this cool another 20 to 30 minutes before serving.