I'm kinda weird.
Maybe you all ready knew that, but there are somethings I do just because I'm weird like that. For instance: I only go to the grocery store twice a month. Why you ask?
Because I am tempted by things like this and Oreos and Butterfingers and yummy granola bars and Peanut Butter Twixes and chips and you get the idea. I tell myself the less I go, the less of an opportunity there is to buy all those yummy, but not good for you things.
But I every time I walk by the bakery, I covet this bread. It smells so good, looks so tasty and I can just imagine it in the morning toasted with butter and some delicious hot chocolate. Doesn't that sound amazing on a cold winter morning? It just says "heaven" to me!!!
So I decided to make it especially since the cravings were attacking me one afternoon. The kids loved it for an afternoon snack and yes we did have it with hot chocolate the next morning, delicious!!
Filling/Topping:
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. light brown sugar
5 t. ground cinnamon
Bread:
1 1/2 c. whole milk, heated on stove top to 110 degrees
4 T. unsalted butter, divided and 3 T. melted
3 large egg yolks
4 1/4 c. flour, plus more if needed
2 1/4 t. rapid rise yeast or 1 pkg.
1 T. sugar
1 1/2 t. salt
1. In a small bowl, combine your filling/topping ingredients. Measure out 1/4 cup of your mixture and set the rest aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, melted butter, and egg yolks. Then, in the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the 1/4 cup of cinnamon mixture, 1 TBSP sugar, yeast, flour, and salt.
3. Using your dough hook, mix on low and slowly add the milk mixture. After the dough comes together, increase your speed to medium and mix the dough until it is smooth and comes away from the sides of the bowl. Your dough should stick to the bottom of your bowl, but not too the sides. You may need to add more flour if needed.
4. Turn out your dough onto a lightly floured surface and form into a smooth round ball. Place in a greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for about an hour, or until dough has doubled in size.
5. Spray a 9x5 loaf pan with cooking spray. On a lightly floured surface, press dough into a 20 x 8 inch rectangle, with the short side facing you. Using a spray bottle filled with water, lightly spray the dough (you can also spread softened butter if that's how you like it instead of the water). Sprinkle on the cinnamon sugar mixture, reserving about 2-3 T. Leave a 2 inch border along the top to seal. Lightly spray the cinnamon sugar with the water.
6. Roll up from the edge nearest you and finish at the sugarless end. Pinch to seal. Place in the loaf pan seam side down. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to for rise another 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
7. Adjust oven rack to middle position, and heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt 1 T. of butter and brush over top of dough. Sprinkle with remaining sugar, and bake until top is deep brown, about 45 to 60 minutes. Turn bread out and cool on wire rack.
