Mélange: Caramel Pull-Apart Breakfast Bread

Here's a recipe I only glimpsed at on Pinterest. It didn't even occur to me to pin it. What was I thinking?? I did think it was a neat idea, but didn't take the time to look at the full text of the recipe. I really should have, as my first attempt ended with less than stellar results. Then, after doing a little research, I realized I needed a liquid component in order for the brown sugar to caramelize. The recipe I did manage to find said to use basic pancake syrup, but in my opinion, that would have produced such a strong flavor that would have detracted from what I was ultimately trying to achieve. Since I already have a recipe for a brown sugar sauce topping (which should be made far enough ahead of time that it can cool completely, even the day before), I thought I'd try that and see how that worked. Bingo! Out came one of the best caramel toppings I've made yet. :) Woohoo. You can even use a little more than I've indicated here, depending on how gooey & sweet you want it to be. Also, the nuts are totally optional, but when I added them, it made a HUGE difference for the better, so I highly recommend adding pecans, if you can. One thing I should add is that the first time I made it with the caramel sauce, we were on vacation up in Breckenridge, and with the exception of the Bundt pan, I was using the cooking utensils that were provided with the hotel room. (It had a full kitchen.) So that should tell you how easy this recipe is to make. :)

With the exception of my first attempt, my family really enjoyed all the subsequent attempts of this bread. My 3-year-old especially loved the ooey-gooey caramel sauce. Big surprise. LOL. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as they did... :)

Ingredients:
Make ahead: Brown Sugar Sauce Topping

1 can Pillsbury Grands Flaky Layers (or similar)
⅓ & ¼ Cups Brown Sugar Sauce
½ C brown sugar, packed
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
½ C chopped pecans (optional)
1-2 Tbsp super-thinly sliced butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Generously spray the bottom third of a Bundt pan with cooking spray. Spread the thinly-sliced butter throughout the bottom. Evenly pour ⅓ of the brown sugar sauce into the pan, and add half of the pecans (optional). Set aside.

Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.

Open biscuit can, separate individual biscuits. Thoroughly roll & cover each biscuit all over in brown sugar mix and then layer, staggered, at the bottom of the Bundt pan.

Add remainder of pecans (if desired) and use some of the remaining brown sugar mix to spread over the top of the biscuits. Drizzle the rest of the brown sugar sauce over the entire pan.

Place in pre-heated oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until top of the biscuits are deep golden brown.

Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes. Invert pan over a large plate, tapping several times to loosen the biscuits. (Be careful, hot caramel can stick and give you severe burns.) If necessary, use a fork to help loosen biscuits from the pan. Let sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.