Pumpkin Caramel Pull-Apart Bread

Grease a large bowl. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, combine the milk and yeast on low speed. Let sit until the yeast has dissolved, about 5 minutes, then add the eggs, honey, granulated sugar, and salt and mix until well combined.

Add the flour, mixing on low speed until incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the butter, one piece at a time. When all the butter has been added, increase the speed to medium and beat the butter into the dough until all the little butter pieces are incorporated, 1 or 2 minutes more. Transfer the dough to the prepared bowl. The dough will be very sticky and you will need a spatula to scrape the dough into the bowl.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 30 minutes. Remove the plastic and place your fingers or a spatula underneath the dough to gently pull the dough up and fold it over itself. Give the bowl a quarter turn and fold the dough over again. Repeat six to eight more times, until all the dough has been folded over on itself. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 30 minutes. Repeat this series of folding the dough three more times, every 30 minutes, for a rise time of 2 hours.

Tightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or up to 3 days.

In a small bowl, mix together the granulated sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.

Line a 9 by 4 by 4 in [23 by 10 by 10 cm] Pullman pan with a parchment sling.

Generously flour your work surface. Roll out the dough into a 12 by 20 in [30.5 by 50 cm] rectangle with a short edge facing you. With a pastry brush, spread the melted butter evenly over the dough. Sprinkle the filling over the dough evenly and press gently into the butter so it adheres.

Using a pastry cutter, cut the dough crosswise into five strips about 4 by 12 in [10 by 30.5 cm] each. Stack the five rectangles on top of each other.

Slice the stack of rectangles crosswise to create six equal strips, about 4 in [10 cm] long and 2 in [5 cm] wide. Fit these layered strips into the prepared loaf pan side by side, cut edges facing up. Loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until almost doubled in size, 45 to 60 minutes.

While the bread is rising, make the caramel: in a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the pumpkin, butter, brown and granulated sugars, corn syrup, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often until the sugars are dissolved. Turn the heat down and simmer until thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the bourbon, if using, and vanilla and let cool slightly.

Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350F [180C]. Place a sheet pan on a lower rack to catch any drips.

Pour 1/3 of the pumpkin caramel evenly over the top of the bread right before putting it into the oven. Bake the bread until the top is golden brown, 40 to 50 minutes, or registers 200F [95C] on an instant-read thermometer. Check the bread halfway through baking – if the top is browning too quickly, cover it with a piece of foil.

Transfer the pan to a wire rack and immediately pour half of the remaining caramel over the top of the bread, then let sit for 15 minutes. Use the sling to gently remove the loaf from the pan, then drizzle the remaining caramel over the loaf. Let cool slightly before pulling apart and eating. This bread is best eaten the same day it's made, but can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.