Triple Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Yield: 1 loaf

Ingredients

Dough:
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup powdered milk
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons yeast
• 4 tablespoons of butter
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup cinnamon chips (optional)
Filling:
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons four
• 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Streusel topping:
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 flour

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the dough ingredients, using mixers or a wooden spoon to mix until the dough begins to come away from the sides of the bowl. Knead with a dough hook, or by hand on a lightly oiled surface. Knead until dough is smooth and silky- about 10 minutes. Add a little bit more flour as needed.
3. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and set it aside to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until puffy and almost doubled in size.
4. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled work surface, and shape it into a long, thin rectangle, about 16" x 8". To make the filling, combine the sugar, cinnamon, and flour in a small bowl.
5. Brush the dough with some of the egg/water, and gently press the filling onto the dough. Beginning with a short edge, carefully roll the dough into a log. Pinch the side seam closed and place the log in a lightly greased loaf pan. Cover the pan with lightly oiled plastic wrap, and allow the bread to proof for about 1 hour at room temperature, or until it's about 1" over the rim of the pan.
6. In a small bowl combine the streusel ingredients, using your hands to work the butter into the dry ingredients until crumbly. Brush the loaf with more of the remaining beaten egg, and add the streusel, using your fingers to gently apply it to the dough, being careful not to deflate the loaf.
7. Bake the bread for about 45 minutes. If the loaf is browning too quickly after 30 minutes of baking tent the top of the loaf with foil for the last 15 mins of baking. Let the bread cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer the loaf to a cooling rack. I found tilting the pan to the side and using a butter knife to loosen it helped it pop right out without losing any streusel topping, but a little may fall off in the process.

 

 

Notes

Recipe adapted from: King Arthur's Flour

 

Roasted pumpkin & apple soup with goat’s cheese and bacon

INGREDIENTS

• 1kg pumpkin, peeled, seeds removed, cut into 3cm pieces
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 3 tsp chopped sage leaves
• 70ml olive oil
• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into 3cm pieces
• 250g rindless free-range bacon rashers, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1.25L (5 cups) free-range chicken stock
• 120g goat’s cheese
• Lightly toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas), to serve

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Place the pumpkin, cumin, sage and 2 tbs oil in a large bowl and season, then toss to combine. Tip onto the tray, arrange in a single layer and roast for 10-15 minutes. Add apple and cook for a further 10 minutes or until tender.
3. Meanwhile, heat another 2 tsp oil in a frypan over medium heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until golden. Set aside to drain on paper towel.
4. Heat the remaining 1 tbs oil in the frypan. Add the onion, garlic and a pinch of salt, then cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes until softened.
5. Transfer to a blender with pumpkin mixture, 2 cups (500ml) stock and half the cheese, then whiz until smooth. Return to pan with remaining 3 cups (750ml) stock. Cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes until reduced slightly. Season.
6. To serve, sprinkle bacon, seeds and remaining goat’s cheese over soup.

To make this a vegetarian dish simply omit the bacon.