Apple Cinnamon + Brown Sugar Pull-Apart Bread

get it together.

Apple Cinnamon + Brown Sugar

Pull-Apart Bread.



Sometimes things fall apart.
Life gets overwhelmingly garbage-y and the impulse is to assume the defensive position, remain static, and hope nobody notices.
Because one can only handle so many
metaphorical kicks to the crotch...
But sometimes everything comes together in the most inconceivably, ridiculously perfect way possible.
So inconceivably, ridiculously perfect that a "cynical is my default position" person such as myself would suspect an elaborately staged practical joke before believing the truth.
Out of the blue, life got really good.
Then there was this bread.
Keep pushing through the gray, you guys.
There's sweet stuff under all those layers.

Get it together, pull it apart.





Apple-Brown Sugar Pull Apart Bread

(makes one loaf)

dough:

2c unbleached all purpose flour

1 1/2c whole wheat flour

1 1/4c room temperature water

1 Tbsp active dry yeast

1/4c unrefined sugar

1 Tbsp olive oil + extra for greasing bowl

filling:

1/2c unsweetened applesauce

1/3c unrefined coconut oil, melted

1/2c brown sugar

2 Tbsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp finely ground sea salt

Combine flours, yeast, sugar, water, and olive oil in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.

Mix until dough is smooth and well incorporated; it should not be sticky or shaggy, add a few drops of water as needed.

With your hands, form the finished dough into a rough ball and transfer into a large lightly greased mixing bowl (dough will roughly double, so make sure your bowl is large enough) and cover with plastic wrap or a clean dishtowel and place in a warm, dry place to rise for at least 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a small bowl, combine melted coconut oil and applesauce.

In a second bowl combine brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and sea salt.

Lightly grease a standard sized loaf pan (approximately 8"x4").

Once dough has fully risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface and slice into two equal parts.

Using a rolling pin, roll one of the pieces into a large, thin rectangular sheet about 1/4" thick.

Cut the sheet lengthwise into two to three strips, then cut each strip into squares or rectangles, using the size of your loaf pan as a guide- each cut piece should be the width of the pan and roughly 1/2" higher.

Add a small amount of applesauce mix, about 1 tsp to the center of each cut dough piece, spreading very thin and leaving about 1/4"of dough around the perimeter.
Sprinkle a large pinch of the brown sugar mix over applesauce and press down lightly.

Stack sauced and sugared dough squares one on top of the other and transfer to loaf pan, raw dough facing out, filled dough facing in, standing upright.

Dough may slouch and sink a bit, this is fine.

Repeat the process with the second dough ball.

Sprinkle any remaining cinnamon-sugar mix over dough.

Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes, top layers should be golden brown and caramelized.

Allow to cool completely in loaf pan before turning out onto rack.