Stacked Cinnamon Loaf

 

We're bakers, I think we come by it through our genes. I didn't start baking till I moved to Hawaii.  Here, a simple loaf of bread is over $5, so it's a good reason to bake. India loves to dump and mix and if I'm not fast enough, she starts "tasting" the flour mixture.  "Yum, this tastes good!" as her face and shirt become filled w/ flour. Let's face it, the girl loves to eat, even if it is flour and baking soda!

 

My friend Kelley is REALLY a baker. I think she does it almost everyday. I think it's her creative expression and it grounds and adds balance to her day.

 

This recipe and inspiration come from her, however, if she ever saw what I made, she'd say, "That's not what the recipe says to do." I always end up improvising when I bake - I know, it supposded to be more of an exact "science" than cooking, but I never seem to have the right ingredients and who knows what one wants to bake before the moment strikes them? Just ask my family, it's not uncommon to recieve a phone call from me asking what I can use instead of...

 

It turned out alright, even without the vanilla glaze. India and I like butter on it!

STACKED CINNAMON LOAF 

This is so easy and yummy – had to share….

Kelley Lacks

Place in mixer bowl:

3 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (I use half whole wheat)

¼ cup sugar

1 ½ tsp salt

2 scant Tlbsp (or 2 packets) active dry yeast

Attach bowl to mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix on low speed (speed 2 on Kitchenaid) until blended, about 1 minute. In a heavy saucepan, heat until liquids are hot (about 120 degrees F) and butter begins to melt

1 cup milk

½ cup water

¼ cup butter, cut into 4 pieces

Add hot liquids to the dry ingredients. Mix for 2 minutes. Stop machine and scrape down sides of bowl. Mix on low speed tfo an additional 2 minutes. With machine running add, ¼ cup at a time, enough flour for dough to cling to dough hook and clean sides of bowl

½ to 1 cup flour

Mix well after each addition. Continue to knead dough on low speed until smooth and elastic, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer dough to a well-greased bowl, turning dough once to grease the top. Cover and let rise 30 minutes. Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface and toss until no longer sticky. Divide dough in half. *Roll one-half of dough into a 12-inch square. Brush top of dough with

1 Tlbsp melted butter (I use room temp butter)

Sprinkle with a mixture of:

¼ cup sugar (brown)

½ tsp cinnamon

This is where I like to add some other ingredients such as currants, raisins, nuts, chopped apple

 

Fold dough in from the sides to meet in the center. Fold dough in from the top and the bottom to meet in the center. Fold the package of dough in half and place on a buttered baking sheet or loaf pan. Repeat from * with the second half of dough. Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. With a sharp knife, cut a long slash in the top of each loaf (I have never had this work very well. Sometimes it has caused my loaf to deflate a bit). Bake in a preheated 375 F oven for 30-35 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool on wire racks. If desired, when slightly cooled, drizzle tops of loaves with Vanilla Glaze.

Makes 2 loaves.

Vanilla Glaze

Stir together until smooth

½ cup sifted confectioner’s sugar

¼ tsp vanilla

1 Tlbsp boiling water