Hello Saturday and Hello to you, :)
a little story:
Growing up I remember Dad making loaves and loaves of cinnamon swirl bread to give to my parents' tennis buddies as Christmas gifts. And now when my husband and I visit my family at Christmas I always look forward to Dad's homemade cinnamon rolls and swirl bread.
Finally I decided {two weeks ago} I wanted to try making it as well and thus began my search for a recipe. Dad's recipe comes from an old Better Homes and Gardens cookbook and is quite similar to this one in flavor.
Alrighty, here it is. I found the original recipe a couple weeks ago and I've made it twice, adjusting in minor ways both times, by reducing the butter & sugar and adding wheat flour, and adding details in the instructions. I need details, you know?
CINNAMON SWIRL BREAD {with Heather's additions/alterations}
4 1/2 tsp. yeast {two packets}
1/2 c. warm water {110 degrees}
1 1/2 c. warm milk, scalded {microwaved}
1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. oats {I use rolled}
7 - 8 c. unbleached flour {or 1-2 cups wheat flour & the rest unbleached}
2/3 c. oil
3 T. melted butter
1/2 c. sugar
2 T. cinnamon
} Mix the yeast with water in a one cup measuring cup and stir until it bubbles. Set it aside 5 minutes. In a large mixing bowl mix the milk, oil, sugar, salt, eggs, oats and 2 cups of the flour. {I mix by hand but I'm sure you can use a mixer.} Then add in the yeast/water mixture to it and stir. Add the remaining 5 - 6 cups of flour and stir.
} Turn it out onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth. Form into a ball and set in a greased bowl. Turn the dough to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place 1 hour.
} Punch down and take the dough out of the bowl and lay it on your kneading surface. Place the bowl over the dough and let it rest 10 minutes. Divide the dough in half and roll it out. {I rolled them out to be the length and 2-3 times the width of the bread pans I was using.} Brush the dough with melted butter and sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar mixture on top. {It's fun to make your cinnamon sugar mixture in a container that you can sprinkle it on, kids would like that!} Then roll up the dough tightly and place it in your greased loaf pan {I used two large 5 in. x 10 in. pans.} Repeat those steps with the second half of the dough. Let them rise, covered with plastic wrap or towel for 45 minutes.
} Bake for 40 minutes in a 375 degree oven. {Don't do what I did the second time and misread the baking time and have really brown, crusty bread. Don't worry, it was still yummy!} When the bread comes out of the oven, brush it with a little milk or melted buter and cool on a wire rack. And then if you can, wait a little bit before slicing. But I never can! Share and serve with butter.
Happy bread baking! And oh, what's better than the smell of fresh cinnamon bread baking?
H
