This Apple Cider Whiskey Glazed Pumpkin Pull Apart Bread is a pumpkin brioche with brown butter and cinnamon sugar topped with apple cider whiskey glaze.
This is to be a body positive post.
But it stemmed out of politics (sorry).
I’m going to say this…I’m not interested in your commentary about how you hate Hillary or Trump or that Bernie was robbed I get enough of that crap in my FB news feed (so I will delete you if you go there).
This post is about body shaming.
I lost it two days ago when I posted an article saying it was not okay to do to Alicia Machado what Trump did to her.
Not just the name calling but dragging her to the gym and standing by her while she was forced to work out in front of reporters.
Most everyone agreed.
Most.
It was the two WOMEN that didn’t agree that enraged me.
I am an open minded person.
I am not an open minded person when it comes to body shaming.
Their argument was that she entered a beauty pageant so she opens herself up to those comments (this almost reminded me of she wore a short skirt so she should have expected to be raped logic).
No. No, she doesn’t.
Not in the way it was handled.
Not public humiliation.
If she was gaining weight and it was an issue then it needed to be dealt with privately.
End of story.
So now, of course, her entire past is getting brought up against her.
Which I find hysterical…because the irony is not seen.
Irony number one is that she posed for Playboy.
The right winged papers all had commentators echoing that she was a fat pig and that now she was a whore because she posed in Playboy.
Ummm.
First off, right wingers, are you not familiar with the fact that Trump’s current wife was a model who was photographed nude several times, one of which was “girl on girl action” who most of you oppose that kind of action?
For the record, that doesn’t make Alicia or Melania whores.
End of story.
The second irony is that she went on a reality TV show (very similar to Big Brother) and she was engaged.
During her time on the show the filmed her in a dark room having sex with one of the men.
And her fiancé dumped her.
Okay.
Again, people on that article felt the need to call her a pig not only because she was “fat” but because she cheated.
They then harped on Hillary for Bill cheating.
I don’t justify the cheating.
But what is the double standard that their candidate can repeatedly commit adultery and that’s fine?
Hmmm.
We seem to think nowadays that we get to comment on appearance.
I saw that Melania was being raked over the coals for how much her dress cost.
Who cares?
They have money…how much money who knows? 😛
But as long as I’m not giving her money because she tells me she doesn’t have money to feed her kids…and then goes and buys that dress…then I will care.
We have sections of magazines where we judge who wore a dress better…always the women…rarely the men.
We have shows like Fashion Police where for entertainment value we rip into people.
People with feelings.
People have insecurities just like you.
Maybe you are of the mindset that actors/actresses deserve the scrutiny because they are famous.
In my opinion, you are wrong.
We set a precedent for how others are treated when we say it’s okay to comment on an actresses weight.
We set the precedent for men that it’s okay to call a woman a pig.
To moo at them (it’s happened to me and a friend).
It trickles down.
I sit each week in bars after hockey games and listen to the men in tables around us.
Often single.
Usually overweight with a big pot belly, and usually bald.
Week after week I hear them make comments about the size of their waitress and whether they would do her or not.
We teach men this is okay.
They learn quickly it’s not when I turn around and say something.
And when you are with a large group of men they tend not to say something back to you since they know they hockey team will kick their butts on my behalf.
I have a friend that is a local news anchor.
From time to time she shows the emails to us that the station gets.
That they hated her hair that night.
Or that she is getting fat (she was pregnant).
That she looked like crap in that dress tonight.
And that light blue is not her color.
As if they had the right to do this.
It reminds me of the time the actress from Law and Order SVU cut her hair short and everyone lost it.
It’s her hair…she can cut it if she wants to.
How a person looks.
Or how much they weigh.
If they lost weight.
Perhaps they gained weight.
Want to wear bright red lipstick.
Put their hair in a man bun.
Don’t want to fix the gap in their teeth.
They want pink hair.
Or commit the ultimate sin 😀 and wear white after labor day.
All of that requires no commentary from us.
One thing that does require commentary is this Apple Cider Whiskey Glazed Pumpkin Pull Apart Bread.
Oh, this bread.
This uses my favorite pumpkin (not spice) brioche.
It has brown butter.
And cinnamon sugar.
It is covered in apple cider whiskey glaze.
And it’s pull apart so there is even a fun factor!
So make the bread.
Sit in your comfy clothes under a fluffy blanket.
Snuggle your loved ones.
Give COMPLIMENTS to strangers and the people in your life.
Go buy a $700 dress if you can afford it.
Or a $1200 coat.
Or a $4 latte.
Pose naked for a magazine if that’s an option for you. 😉
Last but not least…it’s a great time to order my cookbook. 😀
Want more Bread Recipes?
Maple Glazed Pumpkin Pie Cinnamon Roll Loaf
Pumpkin Pie Whiskey Sticky Buns
Honey Pear Jam Walnut Swirl Bread
Apple Cider Cinnamon Roll Loaf
Apple Cider Whiskey Glazed Pumpkin Pull Apart Bread
Ingredients
- 1/2 recipe Pumpkin Brioche (recipe below)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 2 ounces unsalted butter, melted until browned
- Apple Cider Whiskey Glaze:
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 4 TBSP apple cider (you can use boiled cider for concentrated flavor)
- 2 tsp. whiskey
- Pumpkin Brioche:
- For the Sponge:
- ¼ cup whole milk, at room temperature
- 2½ tsp. active dry yeast (I used Red Star Yeast Platinum)
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 cup bread flour
- For the Dough:
- 5 cups bread flour
- 2 tsp. salt
- 6 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ½ lb. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
Instructions
For the Sponge:
Combine the milk and yeast in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and whisk until the yeast is dissolved.
Let stand for 5 minutes, then stir in the pumpkin puree, sugar, and flour, forming a thick batter.
Cover with plastic film and let rest in a warm environment until bubbles form, 30-40 minutes.
For the Dough:
Add the flour and salt to the sponge, then add the eggs.
Mix on low speed for 2 minutes, or until the eggs are absorbed.
Increase speed to medium and knead the dough for 5 minutes.
The dough will begin to slap around. Hold on to the mixer when necessary.
On medium-low speed, add the butter, 2 TBSP at a time.
Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally.(Recipe did not say to, but I switched to the dough hook at this point).
Knead until the dough is shiny and smooth, about 5 minutes. Scrape out the dough, wash and dry the bowl, and coat it lightly with oil.
Place dough in the oiled bowl and turn it so that the top is coated with oil.
Cover with plastic film and let rise at room temperature until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
After the dough has doubled in volume, press down to deflate, folding one half into the other. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. This is the second rise.
Remove brioche dough (that has chilled overnight) from the fridge. Remember you are using only HALF the batch. So save the other for cinnamon rolls or just bread.
Whisk together the sugar and cinnamon for the filling. Set aside.
Melt 2 ounces of butter until browned. Set aside.
Grease and flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Set that aside too.
Deflate the risen dough and knead about 2 tablespoons of flour into the dough.
Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 5 minutes.
On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough out.
The dough should be 12-inches tall and about 20-inches long.
If you can’t get the dough to 20-inches long… that’s okay.
Just roll it as large as the dough will go.
Use a pastry brush to spread melted butter across all of the dough.
Sprinkle with all of the sugar and cinnamon mixture. It might seem like a lot of sugar. Seriously? Just go for it.
Slice the dough vertically, into six equal-sized strips.
Stack the strips on top of one another and slice the stack into six equal slices once again. You’ll have six stacks of six squares.
Layer the dough squares in the loaf pan like a flip-book. Place a kitchen towel over the loaf pan and allow in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes or until almost doubled in size.
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
Place loaf in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is very golden brown.
The top may be lightly browned, but the center may still be raw so a nice, dark, golden brown will ensure that the center is cooked as well.
For the glaze:
Place the powdered sugar in a medium bowl and slowly stir in the cider and whiskey, a little at a time, to make a smooth, pourable glaze.
Jen says
Those photos! Oh my GOD! I want to dive in.
I can’t believe that women were justifying that it was okay to call another woman fat and publically shame her. So incredibly sad that people think it’s okay in any form.
Allison Day says
“Live kindly.” I love that so much, definitely something everyone should aspire to. <3
Tiffany Porter says
Thank you for your post Peabody. It’s amazing to me that what you said even has to be said. A lot of people in the good ole U.S.A. seems to be getting meaner and more hateful every day. So, I think I’ll make cookies!
Donna says
Love the title of this post! And, I completely agree with your comments on this issue. The double standards in this country are crazy. And it is often women bashing other women. I have a good friend that was telling me about a friend confiding that a mutual male friend had made a pass at her. My friend felt that this woman must have done something to warrant this unwanted attention. Some people are crazy! Dogs? Dogs you can trust! And whiskey and pumpkin in the Fall – yes, this I trust!
Peabody says
Dogs you can trust! That’s for sure. 🙂 And fall, whiskey, and pumpkins. And blankets…I’m trusting blankets today as I am chilly. 🙂
Jennifer says
Yes, yes, and yes!! And this bread? Hell yes!
Lisa P says
Completely agree.. as always! However, I must bring attention to the title of this post. “That’ll do pig”!!!! One of my favorite lines from one of my favoritest movies ever… “Babe”. 🙂
Miranda says
Wow, I am drooling over this bread! The combination of flavors is incredible!
Tracey C says
Just wanted to say, this is the second year I’ve made this recipe and it is well loved (“are you making that pull-apart bread? Please?”). Thank you 🙂
Peabody says
I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks for taking time to tell me!
Lisa B. Carrillo says
I stumbled upon you on Instagram whilst searching for new holiday recipes and I’ve been digging through your whole blog. I’ve bookmarked recipes and made grocery lists. I’m basically a whole stalker now, I think.
However.
Comma.
Pause.
This post? THIS is the post that makes me want to have a cup of coffee and chat with you about body-shaming assholes and political double standards. All the coffee and this bread and kiki. Awwwwllll of it.
Peabody says
😀 Ur world sadly has a lot of opinions on bodies…especially women. Sigh.