Rum Pecan Ring

minor panic hit the household when I couldn't find the recipe for this traditional holiday breakfast bread that I make every year!   I finally found the little recipe booklet containing the recipe, so I'm typing it here before I do anything else. whew!

Dough
 3 to 3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 pkg Rapid Rise active dry yeast
1 c. milk
1/2 cup butter
1 egg

Filling
2/3 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. ground pecans
1/2 tsp rum extract

Glaze
1 c powdered sugar
3 to 5 T. milk or eggnog
1/4 tsp rum extract


Grease large cookie sheet. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off.  In large bowl, combine 1 1/2 c. flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. mix well.
In medium saucepan, heat 1 c milk and 1/2 c. butter until very warm. Add warm liquid and egg to flour mixture. Blend at low speed until moistened; beat 3 minutes at medium speed.  Gradually stir in remaining flour until dough pulls away cleanly from sides of bowl.

On floured surface, knead dough until smooth and elastic (* or 3-5 minutes with dough hook in KitchenAid) Place dough in greased bowl, turn dough to grease all sides. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and cloth towel. Let rise in warm place (80 -85 F) until doubled and light. IN small bowl, combine brown sugar and 1/4 c. butter. Stir in ground pecans and 1/2 tsp rum extract.

Punch down dough several times to remove air bubbles. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Roll to 18x12-inch rectangle.  Spread dough with filling to within 1/2 inch of edges. Starting at long side, roll up tightly ; pinch seam to seal.  Place seam side down on greased cookie sheet. Join ends to form ring; pinch to seal. With scissors or sharp knife, cut from outside edge of ring to within1/2 inch of inside of ring, making cuts 2 inches apart. using wooden spoon handle, crease middle of each 2-inch section until dough fans out on either side of the crease.  Cover; let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Bake 25-30 minutes or unti golden brown. Cool completely.   In small bowl, combine glaze ingredients.  Drizzle over cooled ring.

16 servings