Holiday Pull Apart Bread Ring

We have been making this bread for over 20 years, mostly for Super Bowl parties, but the only picture that I can find is from an old and unknown magazine

Ingredients

4-5C              Bread flour

1/4C              Sugar

2pkg              Active dry yeast

1t                   Salt

1t                   Grated orange peel

1C                 Milk

1/2C              Water

1C                 Butter

2ea                Eggs

2C                 Whole wheat flour

Ingredients for the glaze

2T                 Honey

1T                 Butter, melted

Ingredients for the Honey Butter

1C                 Butter

7T                 Honey

Process

Grease a large cookie sheet and the outside of a 10 ounce custard cup

Put 2C of bread flour into a large bowl

Combine with sugar, yeast, salt, and orange peel

Blend well

In a medium saucepan heat milk, water, and butter until 120 to 130F

Add warm liquid and eggs to the flour mixture

Blend at low speed until moistened

Beat at medium speed for 3 minutes

Stir in 2C of whole wheat flour and 1-3/4C to 2-1/4C bread flour by hand until the dough pulls cleanly from the sides of the bowl

On a floured surface knead in 1/4 to 3/4C of flour until the dough is smooth an elastic with blisters under the surface, about 10 minutes.

Cover the dough with an inverted bowl and let rest for 15 minutes

Divide the dough into 4 parts

Roll each part into a 15 inch rope

Cut each rope into 15 pieces

Place a custard cup upside down on the center of the cookie sheet

Form a circle around the cup with 10 balls

Form a circle around the first ring with16 balls

Form a circle around the second ring with 21 balls

Lastly, form a ring of 13 balls on top of the first and second circles

Cover with plastic wrap that has been greased

Dough can be refrigerated for 24 hours

When ready to bake

Let the ring rise in a warm place 80-85F for about 1 hour

Heat the oven to 350F

Bake 35-40 minutes or until golden brown

Cover with foil and continue baking for 20-25 minutes

Remove the cup

Brush with glaze

Bake an additional 5 minutes

Serve with honey butter

Glaze

In a small saucepan, melt the butter

Remove from the heat and stir in the honey

Honey butter

In a small bowl cream the butter

Add the honey and beat until light and fluffy