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Ginger Pull-Apart Bread -#TwelveLoaves

by Savoring Italy

Ginger Pull-Apart Bread
Oh, yeah! Fall and spices! Spices and fall…don’t they go hand in hand? As soon as the seasons start to change, I can’t wait to start baking with cinnamon and ginger and nutmeg. Pies and breads and soups-every thing has spice in them and it makes me smile! Like this ginger pull-apart bread.

HUGE SMILES 🙂 all around with this fantastic bread. When the theme “spice” was chosen in our #TwelveLoaves baking group, I had a feeling ginger and I would be baking together once again. I couldn’t wait to test out some recipes. I baked and baked and tested and tested.
Ginger Pull-Apart Bread

The spice baking continued for a few weeks; until this recipe was what I decided to share with the group.
Ginger Pull-Apart Bread

#TwelveLoaves November-Spice. October #TwelveLoaves was about baking with Root Vegetables. It was quite a delicious month! Temperatures are dropping and it is the right moment to explore bread and SPICE! Share your November Spice Bread (yeast or quick bread). Let’s get baking!

#TwelveLoaves is a monthly bread baking party created by Lora from Savoring Italy.

Are you hungry for amazing bread? Check out what the Twelve Loaves bakers have created this month:

Ginger Pull-Apart Bread

I’ve shared a couple of pull-apart bread recipes here before-one sweet, one savory.  After finally baking another sweet pull-apart bread I came to the conclusion that it must be baked more often. I found this recipe in Donna Hay magazine last year and I vowed to make it one day soon. A year later…hey, at least I did it! I used my super simple basic sweet dough recipe. I’m not going to lie and say it’s a cinch to put together.

Let me explain a little further, the dough is a cinch. It just takes a little time and patience to wait for it to come together. If you are home doing nothing on a cold fall weekend day, start the dough.  Take your time, and wait for the yeast to work its magic.  Or you could make the dough the night before and let it rise in the fridge.  The stacking of the pieces part  is not that complicated. I included a few photos to show you the process. There really is no mistaking in the pieces. It doesn’t matter if they are not the same size. I’ve seen recipes where they say you have to measure and make sure each piece is accurate. I didn’t measure and I love the uniqueness of this not so perfectly shaped bread. I did mark each section a little with my pizza cutter (or knife) before slicing to make sure the sections looked around the same size. On the last cutting parts, I did use a very sharp knife to cut the piles of dough instead of the pizza cutter.

The dough ended up making one regular loaf pan and a smaller one. Can I tell you about the aroma while it was baking? Ok…have you ever been to a donut shop? Is that a silly question? It reminded me of a donut shop. This smelled like the most amazing fall spice donuts while it was baking. I was dizzy in anticipation. I kept pacing back and forth watching the bread through the oven door. It couldn’t finish baking fast enough! Taking a photo of a pull-apart bread is an interesting feat. The jagged layers are so pretty and that is what I tried to capture. I think the only shot that shows how cool it really looks is the one I posted here without the glaze. But that glaze, oh…that glaze. I am also reminded that I need to make cream cheese glazes a little more often. I love this bread and as you can tell from my post, I love baking with spices!

Ginger Pull-Apart Bread

by Savoring Italy
Prep Time: approx 2-3 hours
Cook Time: approx 30-35 minutes

Ingredients (1 loaf)
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 (1/2 ounce) envelope active dry yeast
  • 1/4 cup warm water (100 to 110 degrees)
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 4 1/2-5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

to sprinkle on the dough

  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 Tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
  • 4 Tablespoons melted butter

lemon cream cheese icing

  • 4 ounces cream cheese
  • 2/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
Heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to boil. Remove from heat and let stand until cooled to room temperature. 
Meanwhile, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water in a large bowl.
Add 1 T of the sugar and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
Beat in the remaining 2 T sugar, eggs, butter and raisins. Beat in cooled milk. Gradually add the flour and salt, scraping down side of bowl, until a soft dough forms.
Turn dough onto a floured work surface and knead the remaining flour into the dough, adding more flour if too sticky. Knead for about 5-10 minutes until smooth. The dough will be soft.
Grease a large bowl. Place the dough in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours. When dough is almost finished rising, preheat the oven to 350 F.
Deflate the dough and roll it out on slightly floured work surface to a rectangle about 12 inches tall and 20 inches long. Brush on the melted butter. Sprinkle on the sugar-ginger mixture.
Slice the dough vertically into six equal-sized strips.
Stack the strips on top of one another and slice the stack into six equal slices once again. You’ll have six stacks of six squares.
Layer the dough squares in the loaf pan like a flip-book. Place a kitchen towel over the loaf pan and allow in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes or until almost doubled in size. 
Place loaf in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is very golden brown. The top may be lightly browned, but the center may still be raw. A nice, dark, golden brown will ensure that the center is cooked as well. 
Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 20 to 30 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the bread and invert onto a clean board.
Place a cake stand or cake plate on top of the upside down loaf, and carefully invert so it’s right side up.
To make the icing, place the cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar and lemon juice in a food processor and process until smooth (or beat with an electric mixer). Drizzle over the cooled loaf.

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Comments

  2. Lou says

    Hi Lora, what a wonderful bread!
    The crumb looks extremely soft, like a pillow.
    I really love this month's Twelve Loaves theme, will do some brainstorming 🙂
    Have a lovely day
    Lou

    Reply

  12. Holly says

    I have been meaning to try this type of pull apart bread for ages too. I got close with the fantans from last month but would love to make an entire loaf pan filled with these lovely pull apart pieces. Ginger sounds like a great choice!

    Reply

  13. Renee says

    So, does it count if you don't pull apart the bread and steal it so you can enjoy the whole thing all by yourself? Oh heavens Lora! Ginger. Ginger, Ginger. The fragrance is amazing. The flavor is even better. I'm dreaming of this bread now…

    Reply

  17. Dionne Baldwin says

    I've always admired your baking, Lora, and this is no exception. What a beautiful loaf! I've never made pull apart bread before and I adore ginger. My family will thank you. 🙂

    Reply

  20. Stacy | Wicked Good Kitchen says

    LOOOOOOVE this ginger pull-apart rendition, Lora! Gorgeous and drool-worthy photography, too…so warm and inviting! I adore baking with spices, too. It feeds the soul. Thanks for sharing, girl. Will be pinning to group boards during peak Pinterest times! xo

    Reply

  21. laurasmess says

    I've never made a pull-apart loaf. They look delicious though, and heaps of fun to eat with a few good friends (not too many, as I'm sure I'd keep going back for more!). Love the idea of the gingery, warm and fragrant loaf that you've created. Definitely on my to-bake list. Love Donna Hay's creations too… can't go wrong with inspiration from her recipes! xx

    Reply

  28. SeattleDee says

    Ginger + lemon = perfect flavor partners dancing around in this lovely pull-apart loaf. (Cue silly mental image of Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers dancing around a giant loaf). The bread does sound heavenly.

    Reply