The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Cinnamon Swirl

varda's picture
varda

Cinnamon Swirl

Today I was planning to make Vermont Sourdough with Whole Wheat as part of a return to good healthy eating, but it was not to be.    I had added the starter to the dough and mixed it up, when my nose was assaulted by something NOT RIGHT.   In the past I've ignored these warnings figuring that whatever was not right would disappear in the baking.   But I've learned.   So out with the old dough, in with the new.   I mixed up another liquid starter, but I really wanted bread today, so after 3 hours, I decided to improvise.   Instead of nice, lean Vermont Sourdough,   I started the year with something sweet:   Cinnamon Swirl. 

The last time I made something like this, both my husband and son informed me that I'd skimped unduly on the cinnamon, sugar, and butter.    So this time I didn't.    To say the least.   I threw in the unfinished starter, and then some yeast for good measure.   It rose like gangbusters.   Here is what I came up with. 

STARTER

 

Feed

        Total

        Percent

Ripe Starter

100

 

 

 

KAAP

57

100

157

 

Rye

3

 

3

 

Water

40

150

190

119%

 

 

 

350

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FINAL

STARTER

TOTAL

PERCENT

KAAP

550

153

703

100%

Rye

 

3

3

0%

WW

 

 

0

0%

Milk

164

 

164

23%

Water

127

187

314

44%

Butter

15

 

15

 

Yeast

10

 

10

 

Salt

12

 

12

1.7%

Starter

343

 

 

22%

 

 

 

1221

 

 

Take firm starter and build as above.    Leave at warm room temperature.    Scald milk in microwave for 1.5 minutes.   Add butter to it and let cool.    After starter has ripened for three hours, mix all ingredients.   Let double (this took 45 minutes.)   Press out into a long flat rectangle with short side in front.   Brush with melted butter.   Sprinkle very thickly with cinnamon sugar.   I used two sticks of cinnamon that I ground in a coffee grinder mixed with around 3/4 cups of sugar.   Roll up without pressing in the sides while shaping.   Place in bread pan with seam down.   Brush top with remaining melted butter and cinnamon sugar.  Let rise to over top of pan (this took around 45 minutes.)   Bake at 370 with no steam for 45 minutes.    Then remove from pan and bake for 15 more minutes.  Then enjoy and follow through on resolutions tomorrow. 

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

Comments

Janetcook's picture
Janetcook

Varda,

Have to smile when I read about your loaf.  I am building pre-ferments for Pat's (proth5) sd waffles for dinner this evening AND, at the same time, I am working on a leaven build for a cinnamon raisin loaf (Also swirled with lots of cinnamon, agave and butter :-) that I will mix tonight, retard overnight, and bake tomorrow.  :-)

I will probably add .08% IY due to the high sugar content but, like you, there is rye in my starter and that alone makes my doughs very active :-0.  

Hope mine ends up looking as nice as yours turned out!

Take Care,

Janet

varda's picture
varda

Hey Janet.   Good luck with your bread.   Sounds delicious with agave.   Thanks so much for your comments.  -Varda

Janetcook's picture
Janetcook

Varda,

Yeah, I prefer using agave, honey or non-diastatic barley malt for sweetener...

I forgot to mention that I plan to toss in some cinnamon chips too....if I remember in time - not part of my usual routing but saw them on the KA site and ordered a bag to use for holiday baking.....

Janet

alldogz's picture
alldogz

I am curious as to how you used the agave to replace the sugar..i love that idea..i use it alot in making granola, but my cinnamon bread (i am still stuck with sugar/cinnamon mix)...could you share your secret on ratio of  Agave/cinnamon. Thanks!!!! Becky

Janetcook's picture
Janetcook

Becky,

I have no specific ratio...sorry.  I just have a small pyrex bowl - 8oz size - I mix up melted butter, agave and cinnamon in it....I just eyeball and then spread it onto the dough.  I would guess I am using about 4-5 TB of agave....maybe 2-3 TB butter and a heaping tsp to a TB of cinnamon....

I am thinking that for one loaf of bread I have about 1/2 cup of the mixture....not sure though.  My roll doesn't adhere as nicely as Varda's does due to the butter so if you want it to stick together - leave out the butter.  My kids are used to how my loaves turn out so love it my way.  When I have altered it - they lament the fact....

Sorry I couldn't give you a more specific ratio...hope this helps some.  I have also used rice syrup in the same manner.

Good Luck,

Janet

alldogz's picture
alldogz

Thanks...that should be enough to get me in the ballpark. I am hooked on a recipe for sourdough rolls that i have converted (only by adding the cinn/sugar/walnuts)to a cinnamon roll recipe from KA (http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/buttery-sourdough-buns-recipe).  I just finished goofing with it some more by replacing AP with half white WW and it is really really good...i had been just mixing up 1/4 cup sugar with 1 TBSP of cinnamon and smearing it on before dumping the nuts and rolling it..but i like the idea of bypassing the sugar completely (except for the small amount in the dough). heres to experimentation!!!! Becky

Janetcook's picture
Janetcook

Glad to have been able to have been some help. 

I agree - tis fun to experiment :-)

Janet

PiPs's picture
PiPs

Great swirl through that loaf Varda,

There is always tomorrow for healthy eating ... 

What went wrong with the Vermont Dough?

Cheers,
Phil 

varda's picture
varda

Phil,  I don't really know.   I had the starter on the counter for around 14 hours.   In the morning it had a slight off odor that had me worried,  and when I added it to the dough, the odor was magnified by a lot.    I figure it got infected somehow.   Thanks so much for your comments.   -Varda

PiPs's picture
PiPs

Hey congrats on the front page :)

hypnotizing ...

... making me  v e r y  s l e e p y ...  v e r y  s l e e p y

Cheers,
Phil

varda's picture
varda

doesn't start spinning around and then takes off for another galaxy ...   Anyhoo, I'm in very good company up there.   -Varda

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

Your first photo zoomed me right into it.  What a lovely tall loaf too.  Nothing wrong with starting things off good and sweet!

Happy New Years Day!

Sylvia

varda's picture
varda

Now I have to go mix up the starter for the Vermont again.   -Varda

breadsong's picture
breadsong

Hi Varda,
What a beautiful swirl, made with your freshly ground cinnamon. Sounds fantastic and looks gorgeous.
:^) from breadsong

varda's picture
varda

it's worth grinding cinnamon just to have the aroma in the house.    Thank you so much for your comments.   A new year of baking begins!  -Varda

Syd's picture
Syd

"rose like gangbusters" That made me smile. :). Nice baking Varda.
Best,
Syd

varda's picture
varda

Hi Syd,   Now you've got me wondering where I got that expresssion.   Thanks so much for your comments.   Hope to see more of your baking in the coming year.  -Varda

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

  "Great looking swirl ya got there, kid!" 

varda's picture
varda

are now officially the resident etymologist.   Thanks for the link.   My kids would just give me that stare if I tried to use an expression like that around them.    Assuming you are quoting yourself rather than some anonymous g-man from the 50s, thanks for your comments!  -Varda

lumos's picture
lumos

Beautiful, swirly loaf, Varda. :)  Wouldn't mind having a gangbuster like that on my plate for breakfast. :p

Happy new year!

varda's picture
varda

Hi Lumos,   You wouldn't be visiting in these parts would you?   I need some help with bagel shaping.   If you come, I promise to make some sort of gangbuster for breakfast.   Thanks for your comments and Happy New Years to you.  -Varda

lumos's picture
lumos

Would be happy to give you a free bagel-shaping lesson anytime if you send me return flight tickets! :p

 

Mebake's picture
Mebake

Love your display of the slice, swirly bowl in a swirl bread! Lovely looking bread, Varda.

Oh! if only i can find a pullman pan. where did your husband get yours from?

 

varda's picture
varda

My husband ordered the pullman from the King Arthur site.   http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/9-x-4-x-4-loaf-pan   Janetcook said she got hers on Amazon.    But you know best which mail order works for your location.   Thanks so much for your comments.  -Varda

Floydm's picture
Floydm

Yum!  Would you mind if I popped this up on the homepage for a bit?

-Floyd

varda's picture
varda

Thanks Floyd.   That would be terrific.  -Varda

ananda's picture
ananda

From unfit leaven to improvise to front page!

I hope you cure your levainproblems, and I'm syure you were right to ditch the dough and make this instead

All good wishes for 2012 Varda

Andy

varda's picture
varda

Hi Andy,   I think it was only the build that I had left out for the next day that got polluted.   My refrigerator stock seems fine, and I'm baking with it now.   (Knock on wood.)    Thanks so much for your comments, and hope you have a happy, healthy new year as well.  -Varda

Franko's picture
Franko

Hi Varda,

Now that's starting the New Year on a high note. A delicious looking cinnamon swirl bread along with a well deserved front page posting. Well done Varda!

Best Wishes for the New Year and happy baking!

Franko

varda's picture
varda

But now you have to come up with one of your inspirational posts so I can have something unattainable to focus on.   Happy New Years to you too.  -Varda

Szanter5339's picture
Szanter5339

That's beautiful! I see that it is fine.

Good idea! Congratulations!

varda's picture
varda

that you commented.   Thanks for your words!  -Varda

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

What a cheery looking photo it makes for the first of the New Year's front page post. 

Sylvia

varda's picture
varda

Now I just have to settle down and bake something I was planning to bake.   Thanks for your support!  -Varda

rolls's picture
rolls

gorgeous gorgeous loaf! yum and love the tallness of it :)

varda's picture
varda

It's all in the pan, much as I hate to admit it.  Thanks for your comments.  -Varda

lumos's picture
lumos

Woot! Congrats on your front page feature! It's certainly well worth it. :)

varda's picture
varda

Lumos, but you've got me on woot.  Ok.  I'm looking it up.  From Yahoo Answers:  It's an exclamation of pleasure or satisfaction. "Woot! What a great video!"   So much bread, so many words... -Varda

MANNA's picture
MANNA

I made some cinnamon swirl bread last night. Made my sandwich loaf bread that I always make. Flattened it out put a mix of light brown sugar, spices and xatham gum down. Rolled it up and let it proof. Baked it off and this morning cut into it. Bread is great and I like the cinn/spice mix. My problem is a huge cavernous hole inside where the swirl is. Could this be from not using melted butter before putting down the sugar/spice mix? First time attempting this so Im in the dark here.

varda's picture
varda

so don't know anything about that.   However, I've had plenty of tunnels in my baking career, such as it is.   In my experience they are caused by a few things:  1.  underdevelopment of dough,   2.  shaping issues caused by the fact the dough isn't rested enough prior to shape, and/or underproofed, 3. generally too loose shaping.   If none of those are the culprit, then I guess I'd have to look at lack of butter, and/or use of xanthan gum.  Hope this helps.  -Varda

MANNA's picture
MANNA

I have been looking around and Im going to try spritzing with water. This is supposed to moisten the sugar/spice allowing the dough to re-adhear after rolling. The dry ingredients allow an airgap to form in the bread that only gets bigger once baked. The xanthan gum works to bind the sugar/spice so it doesnt ooz and run out all over. I will try again and see what happens.