Cinnamon Bread

 

Simplify your work by using your Kitchen Aid mixer and dough hook.  Extra bonus…the scent of cinnamon while baking.  The above photo was taken five minutes after removing from oven.  We couldn’t wait!

¼ cup sugar/Splenda/Stevia
1 envelope dry yeast
1 ¼ cup warm buttermilk (110 degrees)
1 egg
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
¼ cup butter, melted for brushing
1 tbls. Cinnamon
2/3 cup brown sugar/Splenda Blend

In the Kitchen Aid mixing bowl, add the warm buttermilk, sugar and yeast, cover with a wet warm towel and proof for 10 minutes.

Whisk the egg into the melted butter and vanilla.  Add to the buttermilk mixture and combine well.

Add the flour and salt to the wet mixture.  Attach the dough hook to your mixer and mix on low until the flour is moistened.  Increase speed to medium and continue kneading until the dough has pulled away from the sides of the boil and is smooth and elastic, approximately 5 minutes.

Note:  If you find that the dough isn’t pulling away from the sides of the bowl, add flour in ¼ cup increments until the dough pulls free.

Turn dough into a greased bowl and cover again with a warm wet towel.  Let rise in a warm place until double in size, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.

In the meantime, melt ¼ cup butter and set aside.  Measure the brown sugar and cinnamon into a bowl and mix well.  Set aside.  Set aside 4 tbls. of the brown sugar mixture to use on top of loaves.

When dough has doubled, punch down and turn out on a floured surface.  Divide the dough into two equal pieces using a sharp knife or bench scrapper.

Roll each piece into a rectangle measuring approximately 8” x 10”, or whatever size will fit the loaf pan you are using.

Brush each rectangle with the melted butter.  Divide the rest of the brown sugar mixture between the two rectangles and spread to within ¼” of the edges of the dough.

Roll each rectangle into a log, tucking in fairly tightly.  Fold each end of the loaf under and lift gently into greased loaf pans.  Cover again with a warm wet towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brush the tops of the loaves with melted butter and sprinkle the remaining brown sugar mixture on top.

Bake until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped, about 30 minutes.

Turn out onto a wire rack and let cool.