Blueberry Pull Apart Bread

Apparently today is blueberry pie day. I just learned this from NestleUSA's twitter stream who said to check out  Nestle Kitchens' Facebook Page for more information. The "more information" was a link to Simply Recipes' blueberry pie and now I am deathly craving blueberry pie and at the verge of convincing myself that I must consume blueberry pie today to keep with tradition, a tradition I didn't even know existed 30 minutes ago.

I am going to be strong and resist the craving. It's called practicing, because as soon as May rolls around we are going off sugar for a month. I used to pride myself that I never had sugar cravings. That was before sweet Maria was born. I am now a full blown sugar addict. This craziness has to stop. The more I eat sugar the more I crave it. It never ends. And then there is the whole Holidays and the excuses I create that as soon as Christmas is over there will be less sugar, but then Valentine's Day comes, and birthdays, and Easter, and it never really ends. Enzo went to a birthday party a week ago where he got more candy from the princess pinata then from hours of trick-or-treating on Halloween night.

So why am I going to share a recipe for the sweetest pull apart bread you have ever tasted?

Because when next month rolls around and all I post is savory recipes I want you to remember that the last sugary recipe I posted was epic.

This bread is epic. Times a million.
Oh, how I'm going to miss sugar.

Blueberry Pull Apart Bread
(printable version)


Makes: 1 9x5x3 inch loaf


For the Bread Dough
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup low fat milk
1/4 cup cold water
2 large eggs at room temperature




For the Filling
1 cup white granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 lb. of frozen or fresh blueberries
1/4 cup unsalted butter

1. Mix 2 cups flour with brown sugar, yeast, and salt for 1 minute in a stand up mixer so as to remove any lumps.
2. In a small sauce pan warm up the milk and butter and mix until the butter is completely melted. You can also warm up the milk and butter in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, until butter is fully melted.
3. Add the cold water to the milk and butter mixture. Let it stand for 2 minutes until it cools down
4. Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix at medium speed for 1 minute.
5. Add the eggs and remaining flour to the mixture and mix at medium speed for another minute. The mixture will be very sticky.
6. Cover the dough with a wet kitchen towel. Let it rise until double in size.
7. For the filling; In a large bowl mix together the white granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Remove any lumps. 
8. In a small bowl melt 1/4 cup unsalted butter
9. Knead the dough a couple of times. Add 2 tablespoons of flour if the mixture is too sticky.
10. With a rolling pin open the dough forming a rectangle; 12" in height and 20" in width.
11. Spread the melted butter on top of the dough and sprinkle the sugar mixture on top of that. Add the blueberries. Make sure to spread out the blueberries so that it covers the entire surface of the dough.
12. Cut the dough vertically into 6 equally sized strips. Make two columns of stacked dough, 3 strips in each column. Then cut the columns into 6 equal parts. 
13. Layer the dough squares in the loaf pan like a flip book and let the dough rest for 20 minutes.
14. Place the oven rack in the middle of the oven and pre-heat the oven to 350*
15. Bake for 30-40 minutes.
16. Serve warm.

I was inspired to make this after seeing a Berry Pull Apart Bread over at the Chirpy Bird. The original recipe, sans-berries, comes from Joy The Baker and her Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread. Do let me know if this recipe inspires you to make your own version of a pull apart bread. Or if it inspired you to join me next month in not eating sugar. If that is the case I think you should make this bread right now before May rolls around.

Check out Bundt Cakes

by Damaris Santos Palmer at Foodie.com