Time to Relax: Cinnamon Babka Dessert Loaf

The thing about weekends is how we view and experience time. It's different. Very different. I don't know about you, but during the week I run from pillar to post, first to work, then to errands and shopping. For food, or just to restock the fridge with beer (oops, I meant OJ for the hot summer weather). Either way, I am always looking forward to the weekend. To slow down. To shut off computers, and news broadcasts, and to just RELAX. 

On weekends, I can enjoy breakfast, something I can't do during the week, when I am rushing around. And for that I always prepare my sweet yeast dough and add an appropriate filling. Every serious baker should have a sweet yeast dough in his/her repertoire. It is so versatile since it can be used for cinnamon rolls, monkey bread, krantz and even babka. In this version, I fill it with cinnamon and walnuts. If you want, you can make a variation filled with chocolate spread, even good quality strawberry (or other fruit) preserves. Any way you look at it, this breakfast bread, with good strong coffee, and no newspaper, is a great way to spend a weekend morning.

Here's What You'll Need: (for 2 loaves)

1/4 C warm water

4 1/2 tsp instant dry yeast

1/2 warm soy milk (or regular milk if you want it to be dairy)

1/2 C sugar

1 tsp salt

3 eggs

1/2 C margarine (or butter if you want dairy)/ or 1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 1/2 to 5 C AP flour

For the filling:*

1/2 C margarine (or butter softened)

1 Tbs cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 C coarsely chopped walnuts 

*Mix it all together to form a smooth paste

Here's What You'll Need To Do:

1. In a small bowl, mix together the warm water and the yeast. Set it aside for a few minutes so the yeast is activated.

2. In another bowl, add the soy milk (or regular), the sugar, oil, salt and the eggs and mix to make a uniform mixture.

3.Melt the margarine (or butter) and mix it in thoroughly.

4. Add in the yeast mixture and mix it in completely.

5. Add about half of the flour, mixing with a spoon, then the other half. By this time you will have to knead the dough with your hands. Keep adding just enough flour to make a soft just slightly sticky dough. Knead this on a surface with only the slightest amount of flour on it to prevent sticking. Knead for about 10 minutes until the dough is shiny and smooth. When done, place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat, then cover and let it rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

6. When completely risen, divide the dough into 2 equal pieces then shape the dough into a rough rectangle. Roll it out using a rolling pin until it is roughly 1/4 in. (2-3 mm) thick.

7. Spread the filling over the surface of the dough using your fingers if need be. 

Then roll it up, starting on the long edge, jellyroll style. Make a long snake of the roll, cut it into two equal 'snakes' then twist them together. 

Place the twisted roll into a prepared loaf pan. (23X10 cm or 9X5 in). Repeat with the second piece of dough.

8. Cover and let this loaf rise for another 30 minutes or so until it just comes to the level of the pan.

9. Bake for about 30 minutes in a preheated oven at 350 F (180 C).

10. Cool on a rack. Remove the loaf from the pan after about 5 minutes after you remove it from the oven so it doesn't get soggy. Enjoy!!

Warm & Fuzzy Feeling - True Comfort Bread (Raisin Walnut)

I admit I'm a sucker for this bread and always have been. I remember eating it as a kid back in Canada. I mean eating the store bought kind. Of course, back then (too many years) the bread was at least closer to being real bread, even if it was baked in an industrial oven by the hundreds. No, not thousands, I do come from a very small town, but still. Also, back then it wasn't laced with all the emulsifiers, and stabilizers and freshness enhancers like today. Oh, and the color was real, brought on by the cinnamon and the wheat. Maybe that's why raisin walnut bread has such a warm spot in my heart, I don't know. But for me it means breakfast, lightly toasted and covered with butter. Or, better yet, peanut butter that starts to 'melt' and gets sloppy all over everything from the still warm bread. Whatever it is, I admit it. I love raisin bread and this version, a recipe I kind of made up on the fly, is perfect. The evidence is that I made it yesterday, and the loaf is almost gone. What can I say?

Here's What You'll Need:

about 3 cups (420 g) AP flour
1/2 Tbs instant dry yeast
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. sugar
1/4 cup dry milk powder (or use baby formula as a substitute)
1 tsp. cinnamon
about 1 cup (250 ml) warm water
about 1/2 cup re-hydrated raisins*
about 1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

* To re-hydrate the raisins, place then in a glass dish and cover with very warm water for about an hour. They will plump up beautifully. Drain and squeeze the water out, then add to the dough. Because they have added water, you will need to adjust the amount of flour.

Here's What You'll Need To Do:

1. Mix everything together  (except the raisins and walnuts) and mix to form a rough dough. Add flour or water to keep the dough just barely sticky and very soft. Knead the dough until smooth, then place in a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat, then cover and let it rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.

2. Punch down the dough. Spread it out, gently, into a rough rectangle, spread the raisins and walnuts on the dough, then 'wrap' them up like folding a letter. Knead the dough until they are evenly distributed. You will probably need to add flour as the raisins are moist and will make the dough quite sticky. Add just enough to keep the dough just slightly sticky.

3. Form into a loaf, them place the dough into a prepared loaf pan, and cover to let it rise again, until just peering over the edge of the pan, about 45 minutes.

4. Bake at 350 F (180 C) for about 30 minutes until it is a nut brown and fills the house with the most wonderful aroma. Oh, and it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

5. Cool completely (if you can) on a rack. Then smother with butter, cream cheese or whatever is on hand and gobble it up!