Cinnamon Sugar Pull-apart Bread

I have been really busy lately. Trying to tie things up at work and at the same time spend more time with my family and friends. Currently it is also a time where I take stock of where I am now and planning for the bigger and brighter future to come.

Recently I bumped into a website while using "stumble upon". There is this wonderful recipe that I told myself that I have to try it. It is the Cinnamon Sugar Pull-apart Bread. I love cinnamon sugar! It is so lovely that I can probably coat my entire bread with it. But well, my husband is anti-cinnamon. He hates cinnamon. However, knowing me... I like to dispel it.

I am going to make him like it.... in fact love it!

Did I succeed? Read on ...

The bread was marvellous! The recipe is indeed fool proof. No need machine. Just a spatula and a pair of hands. You are ready to go!

Recipe for a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf

adapted from Joythebaker.com

Ingredients:

For the Dough

• 2 and 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 56g of unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Filling

• 1 cup granulated sugar (I used half white sugar and half brown sugar)
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
• 56g unsalted butter, melted until browned

Steps

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix together 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Set aside.
2. Beat together eggs in another bowl and set aside.
3. In a small saucepan, put milk and butter over the stove until butter has just melted. Remove from the heat and add water and vanilla extract. Let mixture stand for a minute or two.
4. Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula.
5. Add the eggs and stir the mixture until the eggs are incorporated into the batter. Keep stirring.
6. Add the remaining 3/4 cup of flour and stir with the spatula for about 2 minutes. The mixture will be sticky.
7. Place the dough is a large, greased bowl. Cover a clean moist kitchen towel. Place in a warm space and allow to rest until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
8. While the dough rises, mix together the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg for the filling. Set aside.
9. Melt butter until browned. Set aside.
10. Grease and flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Set that aside too.
11. Deflate the risen dough and knead about 2 tablespoons of flour into the dough. Cover with a clean and moist kitchen towel and let rest for 5 minutes.
12. On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough out. The dough should be 12-inches tall and about 20-inches long.
13. Just roll it as large as the dough will go. Use a pastry brush to spread melted butter across all of the dough
14. Sprinkle with all of the sugar and cinnamon mixture.
15. Slice the dough vertically, into six equal-sized strips. Stack the strips on top of one another and slice the stack into six equal slices once again. Layer the dough squares in the loaf pan like a flip-book. Place a clean and moist kitchen towel over the loaf pan and allow in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes or until almost doubled in size.
16. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 180 degrees Celsius. Place loaf in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is very golden brown.
17. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 20 to 30 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the bread and invert onto a clean board.
18. Serve warm.

My hubby was rather reluctant to try the bread. But after helping me to take a few pictures of the loaf... he tried a small piece. And guess what? I have to stop him from eating the bread as dinner was starting soon. He ate a third of the loaf.

Imagine the grin on my face. I did it again!