Cinnamon Swirl Loaves
I always make this bread with instant (quick rising) yeast.
Servings 2 loaves
Cost 5
Ingredients
- 3 or 4 cups all-purpose or bread flour (400-520 grams)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 gramss)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 packet quick rise yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons)
- 1 large egg
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (56 grams)
- 1 ¼ cups milk (280 grams)
Filling:
- 6 tablespoons softened butter (84 grams)
- 2 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ⅔ cup very firmly packed dark brown sugar (130 grams)
Topping
- Extra melted butter for brushing on the top
Instructions
- Place 3 cups (400 grams) of the flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- In a saucepan, heat the butter and milk together until mixture is very hot. Let it cool down to about 130 degrees (measure with a thermometer for accuracy).
- Stir the milk into the flour mixture, then add the egg and stir until mixed. You can do this by hand or with the paddle attachment of a stand mixer.
- Add remaining cup of flour by quarter cupfuls until dough is no longer sticky. If you weighed your flour, you'll probably use it all. If you measured by hand or used bread flour, you may not need it.
- Using dough hook attachment of a stand mixer, knead until dough is smooth and elastic. This will be a really soft dough and you'll probably need to scrape it off the sides a bit and off the hook, but as you scrape it should have elasticity and peel neatly off. The butter in the dough plus the gluten should keep it workable, but it will be soft. Don't be tempted to add more and more flour or you'll get a dryer loaf.
- Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and allow it to rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk. With instant yeast, this should take about 45 minutes.
- Punch down dough and turn out onto a lightly floured work surface or pastry mat. Pat or roll half of the dough into an 8x12 inch rectangle. Brush with half of the softened butter. Mix together cinnamon and brown sugar, then sprinkle half of the mixture evenly over rectangle.
- Starting at the short end, roll firmly into a log, pinch the ends closed, and tuck them underneath. Place in a greased and parchment lined 8x4 inch loaf pan. Repeat with remaining dough and filling ingredients.
- Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk (30-45 minutes). Don't let it rise too long or it will deflate during baking.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Brush the top of the loaves with melted butter, then bake in preheated oven until golden brown, and sound hollow when tapped, about 40 minutes. If you make it as one large loaf or in a different pan, the bake time may be longer.
Notes
If you'd like to pour icing over the loaves, here's a basic recipe. Mix 1 cup of powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Add 1-2 tablespoons of milk or as much needed to make it a drizzling consistency, then add about ¼ teaspoon of vanilla. Beat it all together and spoon over the loaves.