Yep... More Bread

So, I tend to get on these kicks. I think it has a lot to do with an overblown sense of doing something until I get it right. And while my previous bread baking binge yielded some tasty loaves, I wasn’t particularly happy with how any of them LOOKED. Even the potato bread had this strange little hump to it.

Yeah, I know. I’m weird that way.

Anyway, Offspring 2 and I are off on another C & C Cooking Extravaganza. This one is even going to involve actual SCENERY. McKenzie River, here we come! Hopefully one of us will remember to snap photos!  :-))

And since we are also celebrating dual birthdays (mine and G’s), there will be cake. Several of them, I gather.

In preparation for the weekend ahead, I wanted to bring something that would stand in for breakfast, which neither O2 or I really eat. For me, an Eggo and my morning joe are about the norm. But I ran across this recipe and decided to give it a go. I will have to say that so far it gets the highest points for esthetically pleasing to look at. And it was tasty, too.

Well, you didn’t think I’d take it all the way down there to share with other people without TRYING it first, did you???

Cinnamon Swirl Bread
adapted from Closet Cooking

1 cup milk
1/3 cup butter
2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
2 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
3-3 1/2 cups bread flour
1 tsp salt
2 Tbs butter, softened
1/3 cups sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 egg mixed with 1 Tbs milk

Heat milk and butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat just until butter melts.  Remove from heat and allow to cool until it is lukewarm.  Mix in the yeast and let sit for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the eggs and sugar in bowl of stand mixer.  Slowly add in milk.  Combine the flour and salt and beat half into the milk mixture on low speed until combined.  Using a dough hook, stir in the remaining flour until combined.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface.  Knead until smooth, adding more flour if it is too sticky.  Place the dough in a large greased bowl, cover and let it rise until it has doubled in size, about 2 hours.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out so that it is as wide as your baking pan and about 18 to 24 inches long.  Spread the butter over the dough.  Mix the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle it evenly over dough.

Roll the dough up into a log (If you end up with dough that is wider than your pan, just tuck it under when you're ready to bake it.  It will work just fine; you just won't end up with a perfect spiral.  If that's important to you, pay more attention than I did!)

Place the dough into a greased loaf pan, cover and let it rise until it has doubled in size, about 2 hours.  Mix the egg and milk and brush it over the top of the loaf.  Bake in a preheated 350º oven until golden brown on top, about 30-40 minutes.