CINNAMON SWIRL BREAD

In all my baking, I have made 2 bread recipes, that is, the watermelon lookalike bread and double braided bread. I always had this recipe in my mind and knew I just had to make it. Filled with buttery cinnamon swirls, light and airy, this bread is just perfect! I'm loving baking my own bread since you get a fresh batch filled with your favorite stuffings. Cinnamon is my favorite sweet spice with its delicious aromatic taste, I knew I would fall in love with it. Is it just me that loves the smell of yeast fermenting when preparing bread dough, no? This bread is pretty simple and has very few ingredients, the steps might seem so many but totally worth it. With some patience and your favorite music playing as you prepare it,  this bread is bound to be addictive because its damn delicious!

INGREDIENTS

DOUGH

3 1/4 Cups All Purpose Flour
6 Tablespoons Butter
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Milk
2 Eggs
1 Tablespoons Instant Dry Yeast

CINNAMON SUGAR SWIRL
2 Tablespoons butter
1/3 Cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Cinnamon

METHOD

Add yeast to bowl with flour

Add salt

Add sugar

Mix the dry ingredients until combined

Pour in the beaten eggs

Pour in the warm milk butter mixture

Start mixing dry and wet ingredients with spatula

 Add in more warm milk butter mixture

Now use hands to start kneading

The dough will start coming together

Flour your working surface place the rough dough

Start kneading dough. Set time to 10 minutes

Bread dough needs a lot of kneading so that the gluten relaxes in the dough to give it an airy light texture

To know the dough is ready, when you press the dough and it makes a dent, it should immediately bounce back

Oil the bowl and dough, cover with damp clean towel leave in a warm place to rise for 1 1/2 hours

After rising and doubling in size, punch dough down to release air

Flour working surface and start kneading

Roll out dough and try to make it into a rectangular shape

Spread butter all over the dough

Sprinkle sugar on the dough

Generously sprinkle cinnamon on the dough

From the edge of the rolled dough start rolling to create a log shape

My bread/loaf pan was small so I cut the dough in half

Butter the loaf pan and add the rolled dough. Cover with kitchen towel and keep in warm place to rise for 30 minutes

After rising, brush the top of the dough with milk

Sprinkle with sesame seeds

Bake cinnamon swirl bread for 45-50 minutes at 170°C

The house smells amazing as the bread bakes. Allow the bread to completely cool before cutting into it

Fluffy, soft, airy bread for breakfast

Slice the bread and enjoy with your favorite drink

The bread is perfectly delicious on its own because of the buttery cinnamon center

You can spread some jam, butter, peanut butter or chocolate sauce

This cinnamon swirl bread can be used for making french toast, so perfect

Perfectly layered, moist and crunchy, what more could you ask for in a bread

Sesame seeds not only add texture but nutty crunch

So far my favorite bread

CINNAMON SWIRL BREAD

Recipe by Mulunga Alukwe

Prep time: 20 Minutes

Cook time: 55 Minutes

Total time: 01 Hour 15 Minutes

Yield: 1 Loaf

Ingredients

• 3 1/4 Cups All Purpose Flour
• 6 + 2Tablespoons Butter
• 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Cup Milk
• 2 Eggs
• 1 Tablespoon Instant Dry Yeast
• 1/3 Cup Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Cinnamon

Cooking Directions

1. Add yeast to bowl with flour. Add salt. Add sugar. Mix the dry ingredients until combined. Pour in the beaten eggs. Pour in the warm milk butter mixture. Start mixing dry and wet ingredients with spatula. Add in more warm milk butter mixture
2. Now use hands to start kneading, the dough will start coming together. Flour your working surface place the rough dough. Start kneading dough. Set time to 10 minutes. Bread dough needs a lot of kneading so that the gluten relaxes in the dough to give it an airy light texture
3. To know the dough is ready, when you press the dough and it makes a dent, it should immediately bounce back. Oil the bowl and dough, cover with damp clean towel leave in a warm place to rise for 1 1/2 hours
4. After rising and doubling in size, punch dough down to release air. Flour working surface and start kneading. Roll out dough and try to make it into a rectangular shape.
5. For filling: Spread butter all over the dough. Sprinkle sugar on the dough. Generously sprinkle cinnamon on the dough. From the edge of the rolled dough start rolling to create a log shape. My bread/loaf pan was small so I cut the dough in half
6. Butter the loaf pan and add the rolled dough. Cover with kitchen towel and keep in warm place to rise for 30 minutes. After rising, brush the top of the dough with milk. Sprinkle with sesame seeds
7. Bake cinnamon swirl bread for 45-50 minutes at 170°C. Allow the bread to completely cool before cutting into it. Fluffy, soft, airy bread for breakfast. Slice the bread and enjoy with your favorite drink
8. The bread is perfectly delicious on its own because of the buttery cinnamon center. You can spread some jam, butter, peanut butter or chocolate sauce. This cinnamon swirl bread can be used for making french toast, so perfect
9. Perfectly layered, moist and crunchy, what more could you ask for in a bread. Sesame seeds not only add texture but nutty crunch