Cinnamon Bread

Ready for some reality? I am full of flaws! I might show you good picture of great food that always seems to turn out right with little effort, but sometimes it just doesn't happen! I've showed you burned onions, over cooked meat & singed casseroles before - so this should come as no big revelation to you if you read my blog often!! LOL So what's my latest screw up? Yeast. I know that it's a fickle little thing and generally speaking I can get it to cooperate fairly well. But this recipe just kept throwing punches my way. First, I had my milk too hot & it killed the yeast. But I didn't know it until after 2 hours of rising, my dough ball was just as flat as when I'd put it in the bowl. So I tried it again today - and I over compensated & let my milk cool too much! So, to make up for that I kept it really, really warm as it was rising to encourage the yeast to wake up & do its magic. Well - apparently I kept it too warm & it made sure to throw a few extra punches. Curse you, yeast. Oh well - it's not pretty, but it sure was amazingly delicious! Hopefully you pay attention a little better than I do so your cinnamon bread can be both visually & tastefully pleasing!

Ingredients:

Pretty basic stuff - Butter, milk, eggs, sugar, salt, flour, yeast & cinnamon.

Heat up your milk & butter in a small sauce pan, over medium heat. Don't let it boil - just melt the butter down.

LET IT COOL DOWN A BIT! You don't want to kill your yeast in the hot milk *ahem*. You need it to be very warm - just not hot. Add your yeast & gently stir it just a bit.

Let that sit for about 10 minutes.

When your 10 minutes is just about up mix your eggs & sugar. If you have it in you to actually plan ahead (hahaha.... ya right!) it's best to pull your eggs out of the fridge about an hour before you make this - you don't want the cold eggs to stall the yeast. If you don't think of it don't worry - just beat this mixture up before you do the milk/butter/yeast stuff & let it sit & it'll be OK by the time you're ready for it.

Pour in your milk mixture & blend it well.

Now toss in your salt & about half the flour. Blend it up. Add the rest of the flour & give it another whirl. Now switch out your paddle for the dough hook because you're trusty Kitchen Aid is gonna beat up your dough for about 10 minutes.

Go on about a 4-speed for about 10 minutes. WATCH YOUR MIXER! Dough flinging around in a bowl can make your mixer 'walk' on the counter & I'd hate for it to walk right off your counter & crash down to the unforgiving floor!!

Get a metal or glass bowl nice & warm - I just flip it upside down & run some hot tap water over it for a minute. Drizzle a bit of oil in the bowl & add your dough - flip it around to coat it in the oil. It's gonna be a little sticky - it's OK! Now cover it with plastic wrap & put it in your favorite bread-rising spot. For me it's usually in the microwave (which is above our oven) and then I turn the light on - the one on the underside of the microwave that sines down to the stove top. Keeps it perfectly warm in there.

What's that? You noticed that I said *usually*!? Oh ya - here comes one of those yeasty jabs. Fearing that I hadn't left my milk warm enough I turned my oven to the lowest setting for about 2 minutes, then turned it off & put my bowl in there. What should have been 2 hours of rising was done in just 1 hour.

Ummmm.... Ya. It shouldn't have risen quite that much!! LOL

Dump that out onto a lightly floured counter. Flour your pin, too! Remember - it's kind of a sticky dough.

Only roll it as wide as your loaf pan is - but make it maybe 18-24 inches long.

Mix your cinnamon & sugar in a bowl - whisks make great sifters!

Smear the dough with melted butter then sprinkle evenly with the sugar/cinnamon mixture.

Roll it up - don't go too loose!Keep it kinda snug.
Put it in a greased loaf pan.

... and rise again. Here we go with another slap by the yeast. Again, this should have been a 2-hour rise but I checked on if after about 45 minutes ...

HOLY MOLY!!! Yikes! It's A-L-I-V-E!!!!

This is NOT right! Don't let it get this big!

Once you've risen to a more responsible height, brush the top with an egg/milk wash. Pop it into a 350 oven for 40 minutes.

And then get mad at the darn yeast again.

Seriously? SERIOUSLY!!!?? Jeez, Yeast. Cut me some slack!

Well, thank goodness I have great knives. I was able to do some minor surgery & resuscitate my poor loaf.

And, honestly... it's ugly but it is still pretty awesome!

Ahhhh.... Hello beautiful! I knew I'd find you eventually!

Cinnamon Bread:

1 cup Milk
6 Tablespoons Butter
2 1/2 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
2 whole Eggs
1/3 cups Sugar
3 1/2 cups All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Salt
1/3 cups Sugar
2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
Egg And Milk, Mixed Together, For Brushing
Softened Butter, For Smearing And Greasing

Melt butter with milk. Heat until very warm, but don’t boil. Allow to cool until still warm to the touch, but not hot. Sprinkle yeast over the top, stir gently, and allow to sit for 10 minutes.

Combine flour and salt.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix sugar and eggs with the paddle attachment until combined. Pour in milk/butter/yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add half the flour and beat on medium speed until combined. Add the other half and beat until combined.

Switch to the dough hook attachment and beat/knead dough on medium speed for ten minutes. If dough is overly sticky, add 1/4 cup flour and beat again for 5 minutes.

Heat a metal or glass mixing bowl so it’s warm. Drizzle in a little canola oil, then toss the dough in the oil to coat. Cover bowl in plastic wrap and set it in a warm, hospitable place for at least 2 hours.

Turn dough out onto the work surface. Roll into a neat rectangle no wider than the loaf pan you’re going to use, and about 18 to 24 inches long. Smear with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Mix sugar and cinnamon together, then sprinkle evenly over the butter-smeared dough. Starting at the far end, roll dough toward you, keeping it tight and contained. Pinch seam to seal.

Smear loaf pan with softened butter. Place dough, seam down, in the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix a little egg with milk, and smear over the top. Bake for 40 minutes on a middle/lower rack in the oven.

Remove from the pan and allow bread to cool. Slice and serve, or make cinnamon toast or French toast with it.

Source: Ree at The Pioneer Woman