A delicious cross between super sweet cinnamon rolls and savory bread. This guy lands right in the middle and will satisfy all your cravings - whether they'd be for brunch or a sweet treat after dinner.
I have no idea why summertime has been making me crave all these 'wintertime' spices, but I'm rolling with it! This Cinnamon Bread is a W I N N E R no matter the season. Sweet, warm, and delicious... The inner layers are laced with a butter and cinnamon sugar mixture, which makes it super moist and fluffy. I kind of wish I had this throughout my childhood instead of the packaged Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls my mom used to get at the grocery store. I remember thinking how delicious those were, but now this has topped those puppies by miiiiiles.
As with any bread, some patience is required throughout its usual proving times. But honestly, it's the best kind of baking! I call it 'lazy baking.' You can spend about 15 - 20 minutes making and kneading the dough, and then set it aside for 1 - 2 hours while you do other things. Come back and make the filling, roll, shape and then you have an additional 1 - 1:30 hours of free time before you pop it in the oven. I usually make enriched breads when I know I have house chores to do and can't be in the kitchen for a long time. It really is super easy to integrate into your day. Try it out!
Kitchen equipment you will need:
Stand Mixer fitted with a Dough Hook attachment
Proving Bag or Cling Film (I use a large Brining Bag - You could also use cling film, but you'll need to be careful the bread doesn't end up touching the cling film and compromise the second rise)
7" diameter Loose Bottom Cake Tin or Springform Pan (I have this one)
Large bowl for first prove
Rolling Pin
Small bowl
Spoons
Measuring Spoons
Scale or Measuring Cups (I always use a scale when I bake and I encourage you to get one as well. Your baking will definitely improve and it'll become much easier to double or even triple recipes properly.)
Aluminum Foil
Ingredients:
For dough:
2 cups + rounded Tablespoon (250g) Bread Flour (you want a flour that has about 11% - 13% protein content - I use King Arthur Flour for all my baking, because they are AMAZING)
1 teaspoon (5g) Kosher Salt (i use Morton's Kosher Salt)
2 1/4 teaspoons (8g) Instant Yeast
3 1/2 tablespoons (50g) Softened Unsalted Butter
135ml warm Whole Milk
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
For the filling:
6 1/2 tablespoons (90) Softened Unsalted Butter
1/3 cup (70g) Light Brown Sugar
2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Salt
For the icing:
1 cup (113g) Confectioners' Sugar
2 tablespoons Whole Milk, approximately
Dusting of Cinnamon
Ok. Let's GO.
RECIPE LEVEL: Intermediate
HANDS-ON TIME: 30 - 40 minutes
PROVING TIME: First Prove: 1-2 hours, Second Prove: 1 - 1:30 hours
BAKE TIME: 25 minutes at 400F
Method:
1. Place all ingredients for the dough except the milk in a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Warm the milk on the stovetop or microwave. Make sure it doesn't boil. It should just be warm to the touch. Turn on the mixer on the lowest speed and slowly pour the milk in with the rest of the ingredients. Once all ingredients are combined, set mixer on a medium speed and let it knead for about 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Once your dough has been sufficiently kneaded, place in your large proving bowl that has been greased with some butter. Let prove for 1 - 2 hours or until it has doubled in size.
3. When you dough is at about the last 10 minutes of its first prove, make the filling. Place all ingredients in a small bowl and mix together. Make sure the butter is softened but not melted. You may use a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for this step. Set aside you filling.
4. Tip your dough out on a lightly floured surface and roll out into a square about 12" x 12". Spread the filling all over the dough leaving a 1" border all around the perimeter. This is so that the butter doesn't leak out too much during baking. You will have some of this cinnamon sugar butter mixture left over (you can use it as a spread for the bread once it's baked!)
5. Once your mixture has been evenly spread, It's time to roll your dough. Roll your dough into a log. Pinch the seam shut. Then take one end and coil it around once. Take opposite end and tuck it underneath the dough. You will end up with a bit of a coil looking knot of sorts. Be creative with this part! You can technically shape this dough any way you'd like as long as it ends up being round so that you can fit it in your springform pan.
6. Place the dough in a buttered and lightly floured springform pan. Cover with cling film or place inside your proving bag for 1 - 1:30 hours.
7. When your dough is at its last 30 minutes of proving, preheat your oven to 400F.
8. When your dough has sufficiently proved (it has doubled in size and when you poke the dough, the indent of your finger bounces back veeery slowly), take some aluminum foil and cover shape around the bottom of the pan. This is just as a precaution in case some butter wants to leak out of the pan. Place in the oven to bake for 25 minutes.
9. Once baked, place to cool on a wire rack or heat proof surface for about 10 minutes. After it has cooled a bit, take out of the pan and leave to cool completely. Once it has cooled completely, make the icing by mixing together the confectioners sugar and milk in a bowl. You are looking for a thick yet pourable consistency so add milk a little at a time and feel free to add more if needed (try to avoid making it too runny.) Pour over the entire bread loaf and finish off with a very light dusting of cinnamon.
10. DEVOUR
Although I admit this GIF creation is definitely some kind of genius, I promise my Cinnamon Bread is better. Tag me @masamamafood on Instagram if you make it - I wanna see!
Buen provecho!
Tag me @masamamafood!
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