cinnamon swirl bread

I love making bread. I love feeling the warm elastic dough in my hands while kneading, I love the fragrance that lingers in your entire house and on your hands all day, I love watching the dough rise into huge peaks and then watching those peaks turn a beautiful rich brown while baking. 

This is a really great cinnamon bread recipe. The bread itself is light and airy yet has enough density to satisfy your hunger. I substituted half the flour for whole wheat and it still turned out fluffy and not overly dense. The cinnamon filling is spicy and intense but not overly sweet. This recipe has intriguing depth to it.

Recipe from http://www.sophistimom.com/

1 scant tablespoon instant or rapid rise yeast (1 packet)

3 1/2 cups (350g) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups (295mL) warm water (110 degrees)

2 tablespoons oil

2 tablespoons honey

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

butter for pan and brushing on finished bread

1 egg white

1 cup (150g) granulated sugar

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1. In an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook and set to low speed, mix together yeast and 3 cups of flour. Pour in the water, oil, honey, and salt. Mix on low speed for about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.  Add up to a 1/2 cup more flour if needed.
2. Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead by hand a few times. Drizzle the inside of the mixer bowl with a bit more oil. Roll the dough around in the oil and cover in plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
3. Butter a large loaf pan and set aside. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and roll out into a long rectangle the width of the loaf pan.  In a small bowl, mix together the egg white, sugar, and cinnamon, and spread out evenly across the dough.  Roll up carefully, and pinch the dough on the ends, and all along the edge to create a seam that will hold in the filling.  Lay the dough, seam side down, in the prepared pan.  Cover with a clean kitchen towel, and allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until almost doubled in size.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
4. Bake for 25-30 Turn minutes, or until the top and bottom of the bread is golden brown. Brush the top of the bread with butter. Tilt the bread pan on its side and allow to cool for 20 minutes. Turn the bread out and allow to cool completely, if you can with that long.