Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread

Cinnamon Sugar Pull-apart Bread - I finally baked this bread which I've book-marked the recipe immediately when I read it from Joy The Baker. I was so tempted by her post as the bread looks so beautiful and the process of making it seems so fun to me. Instead of the usual structured rectangular loaf bread, this is made by stacking and slotting pieces of cinnamon sugar-coated dough in the loaf pan and baked. What a fun way to bread-making that allows my younger girl to help out in the brushing of butter and sprinkling of cinnamon sugar over the dough.

The dough can be prepared with an electric mixer fixed with dough hook (refer to Annie Eats for the making process) or kneaded by hand. I did it all by hand. Hence, this recipe scored another plus from me, who like to knead dough by hand! :P

Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread

(Makes: one 9×5x3-inch loaf)

For the Dough:
2 ¾ cup plain flour
¼ cup caster sugar
2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
½ tsp salt
2 ounces (about 55g) unsalted butter
1/3 cup milk
¼ cup water
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tbsp plain flour

For the Filling:
1 cup caster sugar (I reduced to 3/4 cup)
2 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp fresh ground nutmeg (I skipped this)
2 ounces (about 55g) unsalted butter, melted until browned

Methods:
1. Whisk together flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Set aside.

2. Whisk the eggs and set aside.

3. In a small saucepan, melt together milk and butter until butter has just melted. Remove from the heat and add water and vanilla extract. Let mixture stand until slightly cooled down, around 50 degree C (about 2 mins, with occasional stirring).

4. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and mix with a spatula. Add the eggs and stir the mixture until the eggs are incorporated into the batter.

5. The dough mixture will be sticky. Place the dough in a large, oiled bowl. Cover with a clean kitchen towel. Place in a warm space and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. (Note from Joy the Baker: The dough can be rise until doubled in size, then refrigerated overnight for use in the next day. just let the dough rest on the counter for 30 minutes before following the roll-out directions below).

6. Prepare the filling while the dough is rising. Whisk together the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg (if using). Set aside.

7. Melt 2 ounces of butter until browned. Set aside. Grease and flour a 9×5x3-inch loaf pan.

8. Take out the risen dough. Deflate and knead the 2 tablespoons of flour into the dough. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for another 5 minutes.

9. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough with a rolling pin till it reaches about 12-inches wide and 20-inches long. Use a pastry brush to spread melted butter all over the surface of the dough that faced up. Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar all over the buttered surface.

10. 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 horizontally. You will have six stacks of six squares. Slot the stacks of dough in the loaf pan (just like how you slot your business cards in a card organizer). Place a kitchen towel over the loaf pan and allow it to rest in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes or until almost doubled in size.

11. Sprinkle some of the remaining cinnamon sugar on the top surface of the load. Bake the loaf in pre-heated oven at 180 degree C for about 30 minutes, until golden brown otherwise the inner bread may not be cooked well. To ensure  the outside is not over browed, I covered the load with Aluminum foil after 15 mins when I saw that the top is already golden in color.

12. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 20 to 30 minutes. Use a spatula to loosen the bread and invert onto a clean board then carefully invert it again for the right side up.



The dough before it goes into the oven



Please refer to Joy the Baker for detailed pictorial step by step guide on the making of this beautiful bread.

I would like to thank Small Small Baker for passing this Award to me. This is Agnes Bakes' very first award. :)))