Sweet Tooth Comfort - 90 minute Cinnamon Loaf

I really like healthy bread - I mean the whole wheat breads laden with seeds and various spices and herbs. Or the artisan-type loaves with the thick chewy crust that 'sings' when it comes out of the oven. But sometimes what I really crave is good old-fashioned comfort food, that is, well, just a little decadent. I mean the rich doughs made with lots of sugar, with eggs and milk instead of plain water for liquid. What Peter Reinhart in The Bread Baker's Apprentice calls 'enriched' dough.

This bread is just that. It is actually a variation of a recipe I have for cinnamon rolls (Cinnabuns in America) but instead shaped into a loaf. The great thing about it is that it is quick, and very satisfying. Oh, and it fills your whole house with the most incredible aroma ever. Really!

Here's What You'll Need:
about 3 2/3 cups AP flour
1 Tbs. yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 egg
1 cup brown sugar firmly packed
1 Tbs. cinnamon
1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Here's What You'll Need To Do:

1. Set aside 1 cup of the flour, in case you need to add more.

2. Mix the remaining flour, yeast sugar and salt in a large bowl.

3. In a smallish saucepan, heat the water, milk and 1/4 cup butter or margarine until hot to touch (but not boiling). Remove from the heat and stir the hot liquid into the dry ingredients. Only at the end should you mix in the egg. Finally mix in enough of the reserved flour to make a soft (but not sticky) dough. Knead for about 5 minutes, then place in a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat, and cover. Let it rest, covered, for 10 minutes.

4. Turn the dough out onto a floured tabletop, and roll it out into a rectangle. Mix together the softened butter or margarine, with the cinnamon. Then spread this paste fairly evenly over the surface of your rectangle of dough.

5. Roll up the dough, jelly-roll fashion, and pinch the seams and ends to seal.

 Form into a the length and shape of a loaf and place it into a greased loaf pan. Cover and let it rose for about 20 minutes. (Or, you can split the roll in two, like in the photos, and twist them together for a really impressive cinnamon loaf!).

and form into a loaf

6. Bake at 375 F (190 C) for about 20 minutes or until deeply browned. Cool on a rack, removing from the loaf pan after 10 minutes of resting. Amazing!!!