Sunday baking project: Sweet carrot and pecan pull-aparts

There's something utterly self indulgent about fresh bread from the oven - and apart from the therapeudic process (for me anyway) of making the bread, proving, shaping and baking the bread - the reward of fresh bread (and butter) - there is nothing like it.

This morning I surveyed my fridge - and after farmgate yesterday I realised I had overindulged in some produce - namely carrots and swedes - swedes are no issue to use - soup, mash, bake but carrots are different - carrot cake, blanch and freeze.. no.  I didn't want to do those - I wanted to bake and I thought the best way I combine the need to use the carrots and my passion for Sunday morning bread making was just one thing - carrot bread.

I found a recipe by my favourite baker - Leila Lindholm but I didn't feel like using all the nuts and seeds she puts in hers so I mixed it up a little, made it into a pull-apart and the rest we shall say is.. in my family's belly and stashed for later!!


Ingredients:
250 vegetable juice (I used carrot/orange V8)
1 cup skim milk, warm (not hot) with 2tb golden syrup in it.
2 tb melted butter (50g)
1 1/2 tb mixed spice
1 tb dry yeast
4 medium carrots, grated
1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped
5 cups plain flour (plus a little on hand just in case your carrots are juicy!)
1 tb golden syrup, extra


Method:
In a bowl or jug add the juice, milk, melted butter, mixed spice and yeast.

Grate your carrots and chop up your pecans (you could use walnuts instead if you like)

In your mixer or in your large bowl mix your liquid ingredients with the nuts and carrot.

Gradually add flour, cup by cup and combine until an elastic dough.

Place in a greased bowl with some clingfilm on top and leave to prove for 1 hour.

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees c.  Grease some tins or a baking tray and divide your dough in half.  Roll each half into a sausage shape and cut up your dough and roll into the balls of about 2inches in diameter.

Place into tins with a little bit of room to move (I ran out of trays!)

 Bake for 25-30 minutes, until coked through.  Mix the remaining tb of golden syrup with 1 1/2 tb water and brush over the bread when it comes out of the oven.

Suitable to freeze and reheat for up to 2 months.

Sound good to you?  Who wants to make it?

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