Cinnamon Bread (King Arthur) by Barbara

Tastes like a cinnamon roll

We loved this cinnamon bread.  Although it's made with yeast, it only takes a total of two hours start to finish.  Mix, let it rise for an hour, then bake for 45 minutes. Very easy.  The recipe was on the back of the bag of cinnamon sweet bits we bought when we stopped at the King Arthur Baking store in Vermont last fall.    We used the delicious cinnamon sweet bits to make two loaves of this bread, and Tom used the rest for waffles.  They also can be used for making scones, which is how we discovered them.  Several years ago, we took a class at the King Arthur Baking School and they taught us how to make cinnamon bit scones.  

       ---Barbara

Available on the King Arthur Baking website here

Easy Cinnamon Bread

(adapted from the King Arthur Cinnamon Sweet Bits package)

Makes 1 loaf

3 cups (361g) all purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 t. instant yeast (1 package)

1 t. Vietnamese cinnamon

1 t. sea salt

1 t. baking powder

1 cup cinnamon sweet bits (King Arthur)

1 cup warm milk (if using low-fat milk, use 1/4 half 'n' half and 3/4 milk)

4 T. unsalted butter, melted

1 large egg, room temperature

extra cinnamon and sugar, for topping

Melt the butter.  Warm the milk.  I used Pyrex measuring cups in the microwave.  

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients:  the flour, sugar, yeast, cinnamon, sea salt, baking powder.  Add the cinnamon chips, and toss together until they are all coated with the flour mixture.

Whisk the egg into the warm milk.  The milk needs to be warm to activate the yeast. (But not hot or it will kill the yeast and curdle the egg.)

Now make the dough:

Pour the melted butter over the dry ingredients.  Then pour over the egg and milk mixture.  Mix until smooth with a dough whisk, if you have one, or a wooden spoon.

Cover tightly, and let rise for one hour.  

During the rise, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8.5 x 4.5 inch loaf pan with butter or baking spray.  

After one hour, scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Gently push the dough into the corners of the pan.  

Sprinkle the top generously with cinnamon, then sugar.

Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Don't overbake.  

Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling.

Will last on the counter for up to five days if you wrap it tightly.  If it dries out, toast the slices and add a little butter.  Yum! 

B