Caramel Pull-Apart Bread (Bubble Bread)

I am such a dork. I just bought a miniature tagine to specifically hold salt. It was only $10, so it wasn't exactly a splurge, but still, I'm a dork. I was laughing the entire time I was buying it. Stay tuned for pictures!

Aside from my odd purchases, I've been cooking up some ooey-gooey, over-the-top sweet and heavenly pull-apart bread. I found the recipe at Flour Me with Love, an awesome site with a very cute name, go check it out. I love that I didn't have to make this one day ahead, because I never cook in advance. The reason I never do menu planning is because I'm never sure what I want to eat until the last minute. I wake up, know that I will probably want chicken, and pull it out of the freezer to thaw. That's it, that's as much planning as I do. Then 3 hours before dinner, I try to think of something. I also love that it's easy to make and hardly takes any time. It's just delicious, trust me folks. :)

Dough balls

Cinnamon and sugar

Cover and let rise

Start the caramel sauce

Pour over the dough

Remove when golden brown

Flip it out of the pan

Drizzle with cream cheese icing

Caramel Pull-Apart Bread
Serving Size = 4 - 6 (very sweet, a little goes a long way)
Original Recipe: Flour Me with Love

Dough

• 1 cup of milk
• 1/3 cup of water
• 2 tablespoons butter (unsalted)
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 1 package of yeast (or 2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast)
• 3 1/2 cups flour (I use all-purpose)
• 1 teaspoon salt

Coating

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter (unsalted)

Caramel Sauce

• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a bundt pan.
2. Put the milk, sugar, water and butter into a bowl or measuring cup and microwave until warm (110F). Do not over heat it, and if you do, let it cool down a bit or it will cause problems for the yeast. Sprinkle the yeast on top and set aside for a few minutes.
3. I used my kitchenaid mixer to mix the dough. I start by placing the milk/yeast mixture into the bowl first. Then I add the flour and salt. Using the dough hook, I let it mix on speed 2 for a few minutes, or until the dough comes together and look smooth and elastic. It should be a little bit sticky.
4. Pinch off several pieces of dough into round balls (about 30 - 35) on a floured surface.
5. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl, and the 1/2 cup melted butter into a separate bowl. Dip each dough ball into the butter and then the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Place each into the bundt pan. Continue until all the dough is used.
6. Cover and let the dough rise and double in size. Once it's done, go ahead and start the caramel by combining the brown sugar, butter and milk into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Boil for 3 - 4 minutes until it thickens (not too much, mine took 3 mins). Then pour it over the dough and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown.
7. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove by flipping it over.
8. Drizzle on some cream cheese icing (optional, recipe below) and serve.

Cream Cheese Icing
Serving Size = Less than 1/2 cup (I used it all on the bread)
Original Recipe: Flour Me with love

• 2 ounces cream cheese, softened (important to soften, mine had some lumps because it wasn't soft enough)
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk

1. Mix well and drizzle over the hot bread.

Completely off topic, but check out this site. It shows you how to naturally dye Easter eggs.

Linking to: Sweets for Saturday, Full Plate Thursday