Bread Week #1 Cinnamon Swirl Bread with Sweet Cinnamon Butter

Almost always, classic recipes are as good or better than funky, unusual ones. I mean, I get bored sometimes and want to try off-the-beaten-path recipes. But when the weather turns cold and the snow (or in our case, freezing rain) starts to fall, a pot of chicken soup and a loaf of warm cinnamon bread cannot be beat.

Shanna and I were having baking day. She had found this recipe on A Bountiful Kitchen and we thought, what could be better? And it makes three loaves - one for her, one for me, one to eat warm out of the oven together.

(Note: This was my first time trying my new dough rising bucket. It's awesome.)This bread is dee-lectable. Here is what happened and how I came to rename it. We cooled it for a few minutes, sliced, and sat down to eat. It was oozing drippy cinnamon goodness from the swirl. I took a bite, then held it up to examine while I chewed and savored. As I scrutinized its sweet and spicy perfection, without warning, this song came to mind. I am not making this up. Then we slathered on the cinnamon butter and the bread seemed to sing on its own. So, while there is no other way to improve on this glorious loaf of heaven, I'm making it my own with a little titling license.

Part-Time Lover Cinnamon Swirl Bread with Voulez-Vous Sweet Cinnamon Butter (print recipe)
Bread:
2 packages dry yeast (4 1/2 tsp total)
2 cups warm water
4 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 cups milk
5 tablespoons shortening or butter
4 teaspoons salt
8 to 9 cups bread flour
Beaten egg for top of loaves (optional)

Filling for cinnamon swirl bread and cinnamon butter:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 Tablespoons cinnamon

1. Sprinkle yeast over warm water. Add 1 tablespoon sugar. Set aside for 10 minutes.

2. Warm milk in small saucepan. Stir in shortening or butter, remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and salt. Cool to lukewarm.

3. Stir dissolved yeast into milk mixture. Thoroughly mix in half of the flour. Add remaining flour, 1 cup at a time until dough is no longer sticky. Knead, until smooth and satiny. Place dough in an oiled bowl and cover with small towel. Place bowl in warm spot. Let rise until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour).

4. Punch down and let rise again until doubled in bulk (about 30-60 minutes). Grease three 4 1/2 by 8 1/2 inch pans generously with butter. Combine cinnamon sugar filling in a ziploc bag or bowl. Reserve 1/2 cup for cinnamon butter.

5. Divide dough into three pieces. Roll out into 3 rectangles, approximately 8x10 inches. Spread each rectangle with cinnamon sugar mixture (about 1/3 cup of sugar mixture per loaf). Roll each piece of dough starting at short end, tucking end under when placing in pan. Brush the loaves with a beaten egg (optional) and sprinkle with sugar. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise again until doubled (or about 30-45 minutes.) Preheat oven to 350. Bake for 45 minutes.

6. Remove from pans immediately, and sprinkle with additional sugar.
Voulez-Vous Sweet Cinnamon Butter
1 cup softened butter
1/2 cup leftover filling from cinnamon breadSoften butter in microwave, or leave sitting out on counter while preparing dough. Mix butter and 1/2 cup cinnamon sugar mixture together in medium size bowl. Spoon into crock and serve at room temperature with bread.
Recipe from www.abountifulkitchen.com