Christmas in Vermont Bread

A recipe from King Arthur Flour. Described as a soft, tender sweet bread with a hint of maple in the filling and glaze. Work times are an estimate as I have not tried this recipe yet.

• Ready In: 4 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 3⁄4 cup milk, lukewarm
• 6  tablespoons butter
• 3 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄4 cup  nonfat dry milk powder
• 2  teaspoons instant yeast
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄4 cup brown sugar
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
• 2  large eggs
• 1  egg yolk, reserve the egg white
• 3⁄4 cup brown sugar
• 3⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1  cup pecans, finely ground
• 1⁄4 cup butter, melted
• 1⁄4 cup brown sugar
• 2  tablespoons butter
• 2  tablespoons milk
• 1⁄2 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. To make dough -Melt butter in the milk and let cool to lukewarm. Combine flour, dry milk, yeast, vanilla extract, brown sugar, salt and eggs plus yolk by hand, mixer or bread machine, until you have a soft, shiny, slightly sticky dough. Place in a lightly greased bowl and allow it to rise for 1 1/2 hours.
2. To make filling - Stir together brown sugar, flour, ground pecans and melted butter, until it forms a coarse crumb. Set aside.
3. Grease a large tube pan. Scoop about 1/2 the dough into the pan. Sprinkle with about 2/3 of the filling and top with remaining dough.
4. Beat remaining egg white until foamy. Brush over dough and sprinkle with remaining filling crumbs. Cover lightly with greased plastic and let rise for 1 1/2 hours, or until puffy.
5. Bake bread in preheated 350°F oven for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes and then turn out onto rack to finish cooling.
6. To make glaze - Mix brown sugar, butter, milk and confectioners sugar and heat in saucepan or microwave, until the sugar dissolves. Place the loaf on a serving plate and brush with the warm glaze. Cool completely and slice with serrated knife to serve.