Cinnamon Swirl Bread, White Bread

My mother and I made this bread with my daughter Lauren's grade two class in May, 1995, when she and her classmates were preparing for their First Communion.

Many of the children's grandparents lived overseas, so the kids were excited to meet Lauren's grandma. They asked if they could "adopt Nama" after having so much fun with her, making and eating this Cinnamon Swirl Bread in the school staffroom.

The aroma of the baking bread drifted through the halls and there were a lot of requests for this recipe, which my mom said is from the makers of Fleischmann's yeast.

Bread Dough:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 pkg (8 g or 2-1/4 tsp.) quick-rise yeast
• 1 cup milk
• 3 Tbsp butter or shortening
• 1 lightly beaten egg

Filling:

• 1 Tbsp. milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1. Combine flour, sugar, salt and yeast.
2. Heat milk and shortening until hot to the touch (125-130 degrees F or 50-55 degrees C.)
3. Stir hot liquid into the dry ingredients.
4. Mix in egg and enough flour (about 1 cup) to make a soft dough.
5. Knead on floured surface until smooth, about 5 minutes.
6. Cover and let rise 10 minutes. 
7. Roll dough to a 20 x 6 inch rectangle.
8. Use a pastry brush to brush surface with 1 Tbsp. milk, so the sugar/cinnamon mixture will stick.
9. Combine sugar and cinnamon, sprinkle over dough. 
10. Tightly roll up like a jelly roll, pinching seam to seal.
11. Place seam side down in greased loaf pan.
12. Cover with a cloth and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
13. Bake in preheated 375 degree F oven for 30-35 minutes.

Plain White Bread Variation

1. Make the bread dough as in the directions above, cover and let rise 10 minutes.
2. Punch down the dough and shape into a loaf.
3. Place in a greased 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 inch loaf pan.
4. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
5. Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree F oven 30-35 minutes.
6. Remove bread from pan and cool on a rack.

Back in the Day Bakery Cinnamon Walnut Bread

This is Cheryl Day and Griffith Day's recipe from Baking for Breakfast. Their tip for getting a perfect cinnamon swirl in the centre of the loaf: use a spray mister to lightly mist the dough with water before patting the cinnamon filling all over it and misting again before rolling it up like a jelly roll. This recipe makes two loaves and uses a stand mixer to save time, but the dough rising time is longer. Spices in the dough will increase the amount of time needed for bread to rise. Start at 4 AM and you may be able to eat some for breakfast at 9.

Dough:

• 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/8 tsp ground allspice
• pinch of ground cloves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1-1/2 teaspoons instant dry yeast
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup dried currants
• 1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped

Egg Wash:

• 1 large egg, lightly beaten with a pinch of salt

Filling:

• 1/2 cup confectioner's (icing) sugar
• 1-1/2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt

Make the Dough:

1. In stand mixer bowl fitted with dough hook, combine on low speed: flour, sugar, spices, salt, yeast.
2. Add the eggs, butter and milk, mix well.
3. Add currants and walnuts.
4. Raise speed to medium-low and mix 6 minutes or until dough is smooth.
5. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead a few times to distribute the currants and walnuts evenly and shape into a ball.
6. Oil a large bowl. Put the dough in the bowl and cover airtight with plastic wrap. Set in a warm place and let the dough rise 2 hours or until doubled in size.

Make the Filling:

1. In a small bowl whisk: icing sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and salt.

Shape the Loaves and Rise Again:

1. Lightly spray two 9x 5" bread pans with nonstick spray.
2. Transfer risen dough to a lightly floured work surface.
3. Divide into 2 equal pieces.
4. Using a rolling in, gently roll one piece into an 8x12" rectangle.
5. Use a spray bottle to lightly mist the dough with water.
6. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon filling evenly over the dough and then press it lightly into the dough.
7. Lightly mist this sugar mixture and, starting from a short side, roll the dough up into a log.
8. Pinch the seam to seal.
9. Put the roll seam side down in one of the prepared bread pans
10. Repeat the process with the second piece of dough.
11. Cover each loaf pan with plastic wrap and let the dough rise again in a warm place for 2 hours, or until doubled in size.

Bake the Loaves:

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Brush the tops of the loaves with the egg wash (for a shiny finish).
3. Place the loaves side by side in the oven and bake 20 minutes.
4. Rotate the pans and bake 15-20 minutes more, until the internal temperature reaches 190 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Crust should be deep golden brown.
5. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes in the pan.
6. Remove bread from pans and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
7. Serve sliced with softened butter. This bread is also good toasted.
8. Stored in an airtight container, the bread keeps up to 3 days.