Cinnamon Bread......

I don't know what is wrong with me lately!  I have not been in the mood to cook.  Does this ever happen to you?  I have a pile of recipes I want to make but not one of them sound good to me.  I thought maybe it was because we have been having cold and grey weather in the morning, I have been wearing winter clothes for the past two months, I bought really cute summer clothes before vacation and haven't worn one cute outfit because it has been to cold.  That is until yesterday...... it was sunny and warm, I even wore a short sleeve shirt and no sweater to work.  Then this morning again with the sunny weather and no sweaters and I see PW makes Cinnamon Bread and all of a sudden I'm into cooking again.  So do we think it is the sunshine or do we think it is because it had cinnamon and sugar with melted butter in the recipe?  It is hard to say but I'm leaning towards the melted butter covered cinnamon and sugar thing:)  Yum!  Anything with cinnamon/sugar in it is my new favorite thing.

I was a little nervous about making bread.  I make pizza dough every week and I make the Artisan Bread, which is easy but I have never made a loaf of bread before.  It turns out it was pretty easy.  A little time consuming because you have to let it rise twice for two hours each but still easy.  And I like recipes that are easy!

Here is PW link if you want to check hers out.  I didn't really make any changes.  I too left out the raisins because my family are not big fans of them.  I like them if they are covered in chocolate but then what isn't good covered in chocolate.

So it turns out the sunny weather was only good for two days we went from the high being 65 degrees and then for two days it was in the 90's and the next morning when I went to take pictures of the bread it was grey and overcast with a high in the low 60's again.  I had to use my flash to take the pictures because there was no light at all.  I know you are probably thinking low 60's isn't that cold but when you get a cold ocean breeze with it and no sun....it is cold!  Hailee and I both got sick I'm pretty sure it was caused by the extreme change in the weather.

Cinnamon Bread

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1 cup soy milk

6 tablespoons butter

2½ teaspoons active dry yeast

2 whole eggs

⅓ cups sugar

3½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

⅓ cups sugar

2 tablespoons cinnamon

egg and milk, mixed together, for brushing

softened butter, for smearing and greasing Melt butter with milk. Heat until very warm, but don’t boil. Allow to cool until still warm to the touch, but not hot. Sprinkle yeast over the top, stir gently, and allow to sit for 10 minutes.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix sugar and eggs with the paddle attachment until combined. Pour in milk/butter/yeast mixture and stir to combine. Combine flour and salt then add half the flour and beat over medium heat until combined. Add the other half and beat until combined. Switch to the dough hook attachment and beat/knead dough on medium speed for ten minutes. If dough is overly sticky, add 1/4 cup flour and beat again for 5 minutes. Heat a metal or glass mixing bowl so it’s warm. Drizzle in a little canola oil, and then toss the dough in the oil to coat. Cover bowl in plastic wrap and set it in a warm, hospitable place for at least 2 hours. Turn dough out onto the work surface. Roll into a neat rectangle no wider than the loaf pan you’re going to use, and about 18 to 24 inches long. Smear with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Mix sugar and cinnamon together, then sprinkle evenly over the butter-smeared dough. Starting at the far end, roll dough toward you, keeping it tight and contained. Pinch seam to seal. Smear loaf pan with softened butter. Place dough, seam down, in the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix a little egg with milk, and smear over the top. Bake for 40 minutes on a middle/lower rack in the oven.

Remove from the pan and allow bread to cool. Slice and serve, or make cinnamon toast or French toast with it.

  It tasted really good and Hailee said I have to make it again.  Which if anyone has a picky eater that is the biggest complement you can get!  I have to say I was a little disappointed because of the big holes in the sliced bread. I thought I rolled it pretty tight but now I'm thinking it wasn't tight enough.  Next time, I will have to see if I can roll it tighter to get less holes in it.

UPDATE:  I made it again and it does help with the holes to roll it as tight as you can and I didn't like the egg wash on the top and left it off the second time and thought it tasted much better.  Here are a few new pictures.  Have a wonderful Meatless Monday!

Denise

xoxo

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