Pumpkin Pull Apart Bread

Dough

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup eggnog

 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups bread flour

Filling
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
3 Tbsp unsalted butter

Buttered Rum Glaze
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp eggnog
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon rum extract

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, brown 2 tablespoons of butter, letting it bubble up and turn a dark golden brown but being careful not to allow it burn (turn black) about 2-3 minutes. Once browned, remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the eggnog.  Pour into your bread making bowl. Add the yeast and 1/4 cup of sugar and allow to proof about 10 minutes. Then add the pumpkin, salt, and 1 cup of flour. Stir until combined then add the rest of the flour 1/2 cup at a time and knead for 6 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic and just slightly sticky. If the dough is too moist, add extra flour 1 tablespoon at a time.

Cover with a clean towel. Allow to rise in a warm place for 60-90 minutes or until doubled in size.

While dough is rising, brown another 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg and mix well.  Making sure sugar evenly absorbs the butter. Set aside. Next, grease and flour a 9×5 loaf pan and set aside.

When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and flip out onto a clean floured surface and knead with hands for 1-2 minutes. Roll dough into a 20×12 inch rectangle.  Evenly sprinkle the dough with the cinnamon sugar mixture and press into dough with palms of the hand. Cut the rectangle into 6 strips. Lay strips on top of each other and cut each strip into 6 even squares (cut in half then each half into thirds). Stack strips vertically into the loaf pan. Cover the pan with a clean towel and let rise for 30-45 minutes.

In the meantime preheat an oven to 350 degrees. After rising in the pan bake for 30-40 minutes or until top is a very deep golden brown.

To prepare the glaze, heat the butter, eggnog, and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to boil then immediately remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rum and powdered sugar.  Drizzle over the bread.  Pull apart and enjoy!

If you choose to make your own puree, make sure you place it in cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer and let it sit for a couple of hours to get rid of the excess water, otherwise it will be too runny.

Adapted from http://www.newlyweds-blog.com/