Cinnamon Swirl Bread

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5 from 8 votes

A light and airy loaf, with plenty of cinnamon and raisins.

Prep Time1 15

Cook Time45

Rise Time3

Total Time5

Course: Bread, Breakfast or Brunch

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Bread, cinnamon swirl

Servings: loaves

Calories: 2454kcal

Author: Tricia

Ingredients

For the dough:

8 tablespoons unsalted butter (4oz or 113g)
4 cups bread flour, plus 1 tablespoon (18¾ oz or 530g)
¾ cup nonfat dry milk powder (85g or 3oz)
⅓ cup granulated sugar (2¾ oz or 78g)
1 tablespoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
1½ cups warm water (105° to 110°F) (12oz or 360g)
1 large egg, lighten beaten
1½ teaspoons salt
1½ cups raisins (7½ oz or 200g)

For the filling:

1½ cups powdered sugar (6oz or 150g)
⅓ cup ground cinnamon (40g)
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt

for topping:

1 large egg, lightly beaten with a pinch of salt

Instructions

Tools you will need:

A stand mixer, two 8.5x4.5 loaf pans, a rolling pin, a spray bottle for clean water and an instant read thermometer. Optional: a bowl scraper or rubber spatula for folding the dough

To prepare the dough:

Cut the butter into 32 pieces and toss in a bowl with 1 tablespoon flour. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer combine 4 cups of flour, milk powder, sugar and yeast. Whisk until combined. Fit the mixer with the dough hook. Set the speed on medium-low and add the water and the egg. Continue to mix until a cohesive mass forms, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm location for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes the mixture should be a little bubbly and puffy.
Remove the plastic wrap from the mixer bowl and add the salt. Mix on medium low until the dough is smooth and elastic and just about clears the sides of the bowl; about 15 minutes. If needed at the end, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of flour and continue mixing until the dough ball clings to the hook and clear the sides of the mixing bowl. A little sticky dough in the bottom of the bowl is okay.
With the mixer running, add the butter, a few pieces at a time. Continue to knead until the butter is fully incorporated and the dough is smooth and elastic and clears the sides of the bowl, 3 to 5 minutes more. Add the raisins and mix until incorporated.
Transfer the dough to a large greased bowl. Using your hands, a bowl scraper or rubber spatula, fold the dough over itself by gently lifting the dough from underneath and folding the edge of dough toward the middle. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and fold again. Turn the bowl another quarter turn, and fold 6 more times for a total of 8 folds.
Cover tightly with plastic wrap and transfer to the middle rack of the oven. Place a loaf pan on the bottom of your oven. Pour 3 cups of boiling water into the loaf pan and quickly close the oven door. Allow the dough to rise for 45 minutes - no peaking!
Remove the bowl from the oven and gently press down on the center of the dough to deflate. Repeat the folding steps (for a total of 8 folds). Recover the bowl with plastic wrap and return the dough to the oven until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

To prepare the filling:

Whisk the filling ingredients together and set aside.

To form the bread:

Grease two 8½ x 4½- inch loaf pans. Set aside.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and divide into two equal pieces. Working with 1 piece at a time, pat the dough into a rough 6 by 11-inch rectangle. With the short side facing you, fold long sides in like a business letter to form a 3 by 11-inch rectangle. Roll the dough away from you into a ball.
Dust the ball with flour and flatten with a rolling pin into a 7 by 22-inch rectangle with even thickness. Using a clean spray bottle filled with water, spray the dough lightly. Sprinkle half the filling mixture evenly over the dough leaving a ¼-inch border on the sides and a ¾ inch border at both ends. Spray the filling lightly with water. (Filling should be speckled with water covering the entire surface.)
With the short side facing you, roll the dough away from you into a firm cylinder. While rolling the dough, gently tighten and tug the roll towards yourself before rolling another another few inches. Repeat. Turn the loaf seam side up and pinch the seams closed. Pinch the ends closed.
Turn the loaf seam side down and gently place in the prepared loaf pan. Do not squish or press the dough into the pan.
Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Cover the loaves loosely with plastic wrap and return them to the oven. Allow the loaves to rise for 45 minutes.
Remove the loaves and water pan from the oven. Preheat oven to 350°F. Allow the loaves to rise in a warm location until almost double in size, about 45 minutes longer. The tops of the loaves should rise about 1-inch over the rim of the pan.

To bake the bread:

Brush the loaves with the egg mixture. Bake until the crust is well browned, about 25 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F, tent the bread with aluminum foil and continue baking until the internal temperature registers 200°F, 15 to 25 minutes longer.
Transfer the pans to a wire rack and cool for 5 minutes. Remove the loaves from the pans and return to the rack. Cool to room temperature before slicing, about 2 hours.

To make ahead:

Baked and cooled loaves can be wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days. Wrap in additional plastic and foil and freeze for up to 1 month.
Bread toasts very well, in the oven or toaster

Notes

Recipe adapted from Cook’s Illustrated Bread Book

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Nutrition