Pull Apart Butter Bread Recipes

BROWN BUTTER PULL-APART BREAD

Steps:

• Dough: In a small bowl, sprinkle yeast over milk; stir until dissolved. Let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in vanilla seeds. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the dough-hook attachment, mix together 4 1/2 cups flour, granulated sugar, salt, and 1/2 stick butter on low speed until butter is incorporated and mixture resembles coarse meal, 3 to 4 minutes. Add yeast mixture; mix until dough just comes together. Add eggs and yolk; mix until just combined, 2 to 3 minutes (do not overmix).
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, making sure to include any loose bits left at bottom of bowl. Gently knead to form a smooth ball, about 30 seconds. Wrap tightly in plastic; refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together remaining 3 1/2 sticks butter and 2 tablespoons flour. Shape mixture into a 12-by-10-inch rectangle on a piece of plastic wrap. Refrigerate 15 minutes or up to 1 day. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to an 18-by-10-inch rectangle, a little over 1/4 inch thick, keeping the corners as square as possible. Remove any excess flour with a dry pastry brush. Remove butter mixture from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature until it is the same consistency as the dough. With a short side facing you, place butter mixture over two-thirds of the dough. Fold the unbuttered third over as you would a business letter, followed by the remaining third. This seals in the butter.
• Roll out dough again to an 18-by-10-inch rectangle, then fold into thirds as described above; refrigerate 1 hour. This completes the first of three turns. Repeat rolling and folding process two more times, refrigerating at least 1 hour between turns. To help you remember how many turns have been completed, mark the dough after each one: make one mark for the first turn, two for the second, and three for the third.
• Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to overnight. Dough can also be frozen, tightly wrapped in plastic, up to 2 weeks (thaw in refrigerator overnight before using).
• Filling: Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until deep golden brown, about 11 minutes. Immediately transfer to a large heatproof bowl and let cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes. Stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
• Butter a 14-inch round cake pan. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 20-by-16-inch rectangle. Spread filling on lower half of dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Fold top half of dough over filling, pressing edges to seal. Using a pizza wheel or sharp knife, cut dough lengthwise into six equal strips. Coil strips into S shapes and arrange in a circle in pan. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rise in warm spot until puffy and full of air, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush top and edges of dough with egg wash. Bake until golden brown, firm to the touch, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into center reads 205 degrees, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool in pan 5 minutes. Run a knife around edges of pan to loosen, then invert onto a wire rack. Re-invert onto a second rack so top side is up; let cool completely. Pastry is best served the same day.

PULL-APART BREAD

Steps:

• Spray a 12-cup fluted tube cake pan or 10-inch angel food (tube) cake pan with the cooking spray. In a large bowl, stir 1 1/2 cups of the flour, the sugar, salt and yeast until well mixed.
• In a 1-quart saucepan, heat the milk and 1/4 cup butter over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until very warm and an instant-read thermometer reads 120°F to 130°F. Add the milk mixture and the egg to the flour mixture. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, stopping frequently to scrape batter from side and bottom of bowl with a rubber spatula, until flour mixture is moistened. Beat on medium speed 3 minutes, stopping frequently to scrape bowl. With a wooden spoon, stir in enough of the remaining flour, 1 cup at a time, until dough is soft, leaves side of bowl and is easy to handle (dough may be slightly sticky).
• Sprinkle flour lightly on a countertop or large cutting board. Place dough on floured surface. Knead by folding dough toward you, then with the heels of your hands, pushing dough away from you with a short rocking motion. Move dough a quarter turn and repeat. Continue kneading about 5 minutes, sprinkling surface with more flour if dough starts to stick, until dough is smooth and springy.
• Place 1/4 cup butter in a small microwavable bowl; cover with a microwavable paper towel. Microwave on High 30 to 50 seconds or until melted.
• Shape the dough into 24 balls. Dip each ball of dough into the melted butter. Layer evenly in the pan. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place 20 to 30 minutes or until dough has doubled in size. Dough is ready if an indentation remains when you press your fingertips about 1/2 inch into the dough. Remove plastic wrap.
• Move the oven rack to a low position so that tops of the pans will be in the center of the oven. Heat the oven to 350°F.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool bread in pan 2 minutes. Place a heatproof serving plate upside down on pan; holding plate and pan with pot holders, turn plate and pan over together, then remove pan. Serve bread while warm, pulling it apart with 2 forks or your fingers.

PULL-APART GARLIC BREAD

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the butter, parsley, garlic powder and garlic salt. Cut dough into 1-in. pieces; dip into butter mixture. Layer in a greased 9x5-in. loaf pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. , Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

HONEY PULL-APART BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, shortening, sugar, salt, eggs and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a stiff dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Roll each into a 16x12-in. rectangle. brush with butter. Combine remaining filling ingredients; spread over dough to within 1/2 in. of edges. , Roll up, jelly-roll style, starting with a long side. Pinch seam to seal. Cut each into 16 slices. Place, cut side down, in a greased one-piece 10-in. tube pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. , Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. In a small saucepan, combine glaze ingredients; heat until sugar is dissolved. Drizzle over warm bread.