Sweet Bread Cinnamon Swirl Bread and Cinnamon Rolls

posted by Sue Freeman 08-10-98 11:18 PM

1/2 cup milk
4 T (1/2 stick) unsalted butter;cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 package dry active yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
1/2 cup warm water (ll0 degrees)
1/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 1/4 to 3 3/4 cup flour

Filling and Glaze:
1/4 cup sugar
5 tsp ground cinnamon
milk for blushing
1 large egg
2 tsp milk

Dough:
Heat milk and butter in small saucepan until butter melts. Cool to lukewarm 110 degrees.

Meanwhile sprinkle yeast over warm water in a bowl of stand mixer fitted with a paddle. Beat in sugar and eggs and mix at low speed to blend.

Add salt, milk mixture, 2 cups flour and mix at medium speed until throughly blended, about l minute.

Switch to dough hook and add l 3/4 cup flour and knead at medium speed, adding additional flour sparingly if dough sticks to sides of bowl, until dough is smooth and comes away from sideds of bowl. About 10 minutes.

Turn dough onto work surface, Squeeze dough with a clean dry hand. If dough is sticky, knead an additional (up to) 1/2 cup flour to form a smooth, soft elastic ball.

Transfer to very lightly oiled large plastic container or bowl. Cover top of container with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Ideal rising temperature is 75 degrees. After rise, punch down center of dough ONCE (can be refridgerated at this point and covered up to 18 hours.)

Making sure not to fold or mishape dough, turn it onto a unfloured work surface and let dough rest and relax about 10 minutes.

Grease sides and bottom of 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Mix sugar and cinnamon in small bowl.

Press dough neatly into an evenly shaped 6 x 8 inch rectangle. With short side of dough facing you, roll dough eatly into an evenly shaped 8 x 18 inch rectangle (flour counter slightly if dough sticks).

Brush dough liberally with milk. Sprinkle filling evenly on dough leaving 1/2 inch border on all sides.

Roll up dough pinching gently with fingertiops as you roll. Keep the dough from stretching beyond the 9 inches and use hands as you go to keep that even.

Using fingertips, pinch ends together very tightly to seal securely. With seam side facing up push in the center of the ends nd bring the top and bottom part together and seal edges.

Place loaf seam side down in loaf pan and press lightly to flatten. Cover top of pan loosely with plastic wrap and set aside to proof. Let rise until dough is 1 inch above the pan.

Adjust the oven rack to center of oven and set oven to 350.

IN a small bowl whisk together egg and milk and and gently brush the top of the loaf with that mixture. Bake until loaf is golden brown and instant read thermometer reads 185 to 188 degrees...about 30 to 35 minutes.

Remove bread from pan and cool on on side on wire rack until room temp.

For Cinnamon Swirl Rolls:
Follow above steps through to the letting dough rest for 10 minutes.

Grease a 13 x 9 inch baking pan.

Mix:
1/3 cup sugar
2 T cinnamon
1 T milk
1/2 cup seedless raisins
1/2 cup chopped nuts of choice

Mix cinnamon and sugar in small bowl. Set aside.

Roll dough out to 12 x 16 inch rectangle and brush with milk. Sprinkle even layer of cinamon mixture to within 1/2 inch border.

Sprinkle with raisins and nuts if desired. Roll as above and seal seam. Do not seal ends.

Taking a piece of floss or string tie around the roll and cut in half. Cut that half in half, that half in half etc until you have 12 even pieces.

Arrange on prepared pan and cover loosely with plastic and allow to rise until doubled in size.

Bake as above (about 25 to 30 minutes or use thermomenter)

Invert rolls onto wire rack and cool for 20 to 30 minutes.

Mix:
1 1/4 cup confectioners sugar, sifted
2 T milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Reinvert rolls onto wax paper or parchment paper and drizzle icing over top.

If you like the dough can be made the day before, refrigerated overnight and then shaped, proofed and baked the next. Recipe also doubles nicely.

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