Cinnamon Leaves

Photo Courtesy of Foy Update

Foy Update: Cinnamon Leaves - Sweet Bread Recipe

Cinnamon Leaves
(This recipe was adapted from Joy the Baker)

For the Dough:

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

For the Filling:

1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Mix the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, yeast and salt) together in a large bowl, reserve one cup of the flour. On the stove or in the microwave, heat the milk, water, and butter until the butter is liquid. Allow the mixture to cool until it is still warm, but you can touch it with out burning yourself. Beat the two eggs together in a small bowl. Then add the butter mixture and eggs to the dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon to combine. The dough will take a while to mix. Once everything is a very sticky dough, kneed in the remaining one cup of flour- about five minutes of kneading should do it.

Place the dough in a greased a bowl, rise with a clean towel over top until double. I like to warm my oven for a five minutes then turn it off and let the dough rise inside the slightly warm oven. It should take about an hour. Bread will rise really fast at about 90 degrees.

Roll out the dough on a clean surface to 12 by 20 inch rectangle. Now your ready to add the filling. Brush the melted butter over the surface of the rolled out dough. Then mix the cinnamon, sugar and nutmeg together and sprinkle it over top. It will seem like a lot, just trust me on this part.

Then cut the dough into six strips. Stack the six strips on top of each other. Cut those strips into three or four stacks of squares. Put the stacks of squares into the greased 9x5 loaf pan.

Allow to rise a second time until double (about 15-30 minutes).

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Check to make sure the loaf is done before you tip it out by using a butter knife to press down on the top, if it springs back it is done. If it doesn't the dough isn't quite baked, put it back in the oven for another 5 to 10 minutes.

Use the butter knife to loosen the edges then invert the bread onto a plate. The syrup that was made from all the sugar, is really hot and will run down the edges. Let the bread set for five minutes before you dig in so you don't burn your mouth. And don't forget to pour yourself a cup of coffee or a class of milk. Enjoy.

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May thanks to Foy Update!