Cinnamon Crunch Swirl Bread

This Cinnamon Crunch Swirl Bread is a delightful cinnamon-infused bread.  The dough is brushed with melted butter, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, and rolled up to form the swirls, then for an extra burst of flavor and added crunch, the top of the loaf is brushed with butter and sprinkled with additional cinnamon sugar prior to baking.

What is the purpose of using a glaze on breads?

Adding a glaze or wash to the crust of a loaf serves different purposes, depending on the type of glaze you use.

A glaze or wash can be used to provide a crusty exterior, soften the bread or to give it a beautiful color and sheen and to provide added flavor. There are a number of ways to add a glaze to breads. Some of the most common types of glazes are egg wash, melted butter or oil, milk, a mixture flour and water, or plain water.

I used melted butter on the top of these loaves.

How do you get the distinctive swirls?

To get the distinctive swirls, the dough is rolled out, brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.

How is the cinnamon crunch topping made?

Once the loaf is baked and before it cools, the cinnamon crunch topping is added by brushing the top with melted butter and sprinkling it with additional cinnamon sugar. The topping gives the loaf an extra burst of flavor and added crunch. Simply delicious!

My oldest son loves cinnamon so I made this bread for him. He doesn’t like raisins or nuts in his bread so I omitted them. If you like raisins and/or nuts, feel free to include them for additional flavor and texture.

Cinnamon Crunch Swirl Bread

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• Author: Bread Experience
• Yield: 2 Medium Loaves 1x

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Description

This Cinnamon Crunch Swirl Bread is swirled with cinnamon on the inside and sprinkled with more cinnamon sugar on top providing an extra burst of flavor and crunch.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 1/2 cups bread flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons melted butter (or shortening)
• 1/2 cup milk, at room temperature (almond milk, buttermilk, whole milk)
• 3/4 cup water, room temperature
• 1 cup raisins or walnuts, optional (add during kneading)
• Additional butter for brushing the loaf
• Cinnamon sugar for sprinkling on the dough and on top

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Instructions

1. Stir together the dry ingredients: flours, sugar, salt, yeast, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the egg, butter, milk, and water. Stir with a large wooden spoon or a Danish dough whisk until the ingredients come together to form a ball. Add flour or water as necessary to make a workable dough that isn’t too sticky or dry and stiff.
2. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface, cover it with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel (or bowl) and let it rest for 15 minutes.
3. After the dough has rested, knead the dough until it is smooth and supple, about 10 minutes. Add flour as necessary to achieve the desired texture.
4. If you want to add a cup of raisins and/or walnuts, knead them in during the last 2 minutes of kneading and distribute them evenly.
5. Clean and wash the bowl and lightly oil it. Place the dough in the bowl, roll it to cover it with oil, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel.
6. Let the dough ferment 2 hours, or until it is doubled in size. Depending on the temperature in your kitchen, it may not take the full 2 hours.
7. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. Roll each piece out to an 8 x 5-inch rectangle and about 1/3-inch thick. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Roll the dough into a tight sandwich loaf (jellyroll style). Pinch the seam closed with your fingers.
8. Lightly oil two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pans and sprinkle the bottom and sides of the pans with cinnamon sugar. Place the loaves seam-side down in the pans. Spray the tops lightly with spray oil and cover with plastic wrap.
9. Proof the loaves at room temperature for about 60 to 90 minutes, or until the dough crests above the tops of the pans. It should be nearly doubled in size.
10. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. with the oven rack on the middle shelf.
11. Brush the tops of the loaves with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Place the loaves on a baking sheet. Make sure they aren’t touching each other. Carefully slide the baking sheet into the preheated oven.
12. Let the loaves bake for 20 minutes. Then rotate them about 180 degrees for even baking. Continue baking for another 20 to 30 minutes depending on the oven. The baked breads should be golden brown on top and lightly golden on the bottom and sides. They should sound hollow when thumped on the bottom.
13. If using glass pans, let the loaves cool in the pans on a wire rack about 10 minutes before removing. Otherwise, remove the loaves from the pans immediately after taking them from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool completely.
14. Let the loaves cool for at least an hour; 2 hours if you can manage it before slicing and serving.

Notes

Adapted from the Bread Baker’s Apprentice by Peter Reinhart

• Category: Cinnamon Swirl Bread

This bread was made in honor of the 6th Anniversary of Bread Baking Day (BBD) established by Zorra in 2007. The theme for BBD #60 is Glazed Bread.

Be sure to check out the BBD #60 roundup on Zorra’s blog.

Happy Baking!

Cathy