Tender yeast dough is wrapped around a filling of apple butter, toasted pecans and warm cinnamon before being twisted into spirals tucked into a round pan and baked until golden. A final brushing of apple jelly gives the round loaves a gentle sheen and just enough sweetness to complement the fruit without overwhelming it.
The result is somewhere between a sticky bun and a breakfast bread. Each slice reveals ribbons of apple butter and toasted pecans tucked between soft layers of enriched dough, making it equally welcome at breakfast, brunch or afternoon tea. Warm from the oven or toasted the following day with a little butter, this is one of those recipes that disappears far more quickly than expected.
Apple Butter & Pecan Bread
Tender yeast bread filled with apple butter, toasted pecans and warm cinnamon, then baked until golden and finished with a glossy apple jelly glaze. Perfect for breakfast, brunch or afternoon tea.
Ingredients
For the dough
- 480 g or 4 c unbleached, all-purpose flour
- 7 ml or 1½ tsp or ¼ oz active dry yeast (preferably SAF Gold)
- 133 g or ⅔ cup brown sugar
- 10 ml or 2 tsp kosher salt
- 108 g or ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 10 ml or 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 240 ml or 1 c warm water (105°–110°F)
For the filling
- 50 g or ¼ c brown sugar
- 188 g or 1½ c pecans, toasted and finely ground
- 150 g or ½ c apple butter
- 10 ml or 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 5 ml or 1 tsp vanilla
For the glaze
- 200 g or ¾ c apple jelly
Instructions
Make the dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, yeast, brown sugar, salt.
- Switch to the dough hook; add the oil, egg, and vanilla extract; knead until the dough is smooth and elastic (3–4 minutes).
- Turn the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in size (about an hour) Punch down dough, cover, and let stand (15 minutes.)
Assemble the bread
- Lightly spray two 9-inch round springform pans with good-quality baking spray, containing flour.
- In a small bowl, combine the pecans, brown sugar, apple butter, cinnamon and vanilla.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into an 18×10” rectangle. Spread with the filling, leaving a 1-inch border.
- Fold the dough into thirds, long sides toward center; your dough will now be approximately 18” x 3”.
- Using a pizza cutter or pastry wheel, cut the dough into sixteen strips, 1–1 ½” wide.
- Cut each strip of dough in half lengthwise, almost to the end, leaving one end intact. Twist the two pieces together, pulling gently on the strips while twisting.
- Place eight pieces of twisted dough in a single layer into each prepared pan.
- Cover, and let rise (45 minutes to 1 hour).
Bake the bread
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- Bake the bread until lightly browned (20–25 minutes), tenting with aluminum foil halfway if it’s browning too quickly.
- Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
- Brush with warmed, whisked apple jelly.
Notes
Adapted from Victoria Magazine October 2014 Edition.
