My Favorite Finds

Finding Joy in the Everyday

09
Feb
2011

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

categories: My Favorites

 

 I would consider this baking endeavor a success!  I attempted batch cooking for the first time, and made this Cinnamon Swirl Bread as part of it.  I wasn't so sure at first..I don't knead dough, I have recently started baking real bread (like with yeast, rising, etc.), and I don't have a bread machine anymore.  So, this presented a challenge for me.  In fact, I thought it was going to be a FAIL because the dough wasn't rising-come to find out later, my water wasn't warm enough.  Once I figured that out, I turned on the "warming zone" on my stovetop and put the dough on that for the rest of the rise time.  Thankfully, that helped me out.  The rest was easy..and of course it wouldn't be good without some powdered sugar icing glazing it :)   My oldest son rated it an "11" out of a scale of 1-10.  I love that kid ;)
Here's the recipe for Cinnamon Swirl Bread:

6 cups whole wheat flour, divided (I had to use white flour, so no soaking was necessary)
1 ¾ cups warm water, divided
1/3 cup honey
1 pkg. yeast
1 t. salt
3 T. melted butter

1. Mix 3 cups of whole wheat flour with 1 ½ cups of warm water in a large glass bowl. Allow this to sit for about 30 minutes. This will break down the gluten and help the bread to rise better.

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix together ¼ cup water, yeast and honey. Allow this to sit for about 10 minutes, or until the yeast is activated and mixture becomes bubbly.

3. Add salt, melted butter and yeast mixture to the flour and water mixture. Gradually add the remaining three cups of flour and stir well.

4. As the dough becomes harder to stir, pour it out onto a clean counter and begin to knead the dough. Add a little flour if needed to keep it from sticking. Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes.

5. Place the ball of dough back into the bowl and cover it with a cloth. Allow the dough to rise for one hour, or until it has double in size.

6. Using a floured hand, pull the dough out of the bowl onto the counter. Knead for just a minute or two until the air bubbles are gone.

7. Cut the dough in half with a large sharp knife.

8. Roll each half out into a rectangle. Spread with softened butter and sprinkle with a generous amount of cinnamon/sugar mixture. The more the better-in fact, I think I will add a lot more next time.

9. Roll it up and shape into a loaf. Let it rise for 30-45 minutes.

10. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

**Laura at Heavenly Homemakers has some more fabulous recipes. I love her site!**

 

2 Comments on Cinnamon Swirl Bread

  1. blessedrootsblog
    September 23, 2011 at 3:53 am (609 days ago)

    Wow - this looks beautiful. How did you put the dough in the pan that it isn't one large swirl? I always end up with too much dough and not enough swirl :) .

    Reply
  2. Carrie H
    September 23, 2011 at 11:44 am (609 days ago)

    When you roll it out into a rectangle, you spread soften butter on it, and sprinkle it with cinnamon and sugar. Then, you roll it up like a jelly roll. Then, it looks like a long rolled tube of dough. Then, I fold each end in to the center and lay it seam side down in the loaf pan. I do butter/sugar the inside heavily so I get a lot of swirl.

    Reply

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