Old-Fashioned Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Celebrating bread appeals to me...
  If you've seen me, then you know bread holds a huge place in my eating regime.  My love of bread goes back to my childhood and summers visiting my grandparents. They were farmers so you would awaken early in the morning to the smells of fresh bread in the oven.  Although 4am, the bread was amazing.  As an adult, I have a fondness for spicy breads- Cracked Pepper Parmesan Flat Bread or any bread that brings the heat along for the ride. Day to day, I love the ease of making pita bread. It's like a staple. I use it for everything from my garden pocket (cucumbers, sprouts, ham w/ baby swiss) to making pita pizzas(baby spinach & bacon is to die for).

  Bread is a food without pretension.  It can be simple & amazing all in the same recipe. It, like wine, knows no borders and goes with everything...

Duane

Old-fashioned Cinnamon Swirl Loaf

Who needs those fancy aromatherapy room deodorizer contraptions?  All you have to do is put this bread in the oven and you’ll think you’re in heaven.   Yeah, it smells that good!

  Since there are 3 portions to making this jelly roll type loaf I’d suggest you get the crumb topping and the filling put together and set aside before starting the dough.
Crumb topping
½ cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons cold butter
Combine dry ingredients in small bowl.  Cut in butter until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. (set aside – in refrigerator) (will also need 1 egg white – will brush tops with it prior to sprinkling topping)

Filling
¼ cup sugar
2 teaspoons grnd cinnamon
1 8-oz pkg chopped or snipped pitted dates
(3 table spoons melted butter)

Dough
6 to 6 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 pkg rapid rise yeast
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 cup milk
½ cup water
1/3 cup butter
2 eggs

In large bowl combine 2 cups flour and the rest of the dry dough ingredients.  Heat water, milk, butter to 120-130F.  Stir wet mixture into dry.  Add eggs.  Add enough additional flour to make soft dough.  Knead until smooth/elastic – about 6-8 minutes.  Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
Divide dough in half.  Roll into 16x7 inch rectangles.  Brush with melted butter.  Sprinkle filling evenly over dough.  Roll up in jelly roll fashion.  Pinch seams and ends to seal.  Place, seam sides down, into 2 9x5 inch loaf pans.  Cover; let rise in warm place until doubled (about 30-45 min)
Brush loaves with egg white; sprinkle crumb topping over loaves.  Bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes.  Remove from pans; let cool.

Meet you at the table...

Duane

Comments

[arfi binsted]

i always love freshly baked bread...

[Duane]

It speaks to me as well Arfi

[meshee]

I will have to show this one to Mr B. It's cool here for Oct. and this is exactly what we need

[Alanna]

When do you move back? This looks great, Duane!!

[The Folker]

wonder if the temperatures could also be in celsius? gonna have a go at making this...