May 23, 2011 - 9:08am
Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Wondering if anyone could help me figure out why the swirls in my Cinnamon Swirl Bread delaminate in the baking process. I cannot get the loaves to become solid. When you slice the bread it unravels. Anybody have any suggestions?
Joe the Baker
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I have no idea why it does that, mine do the same thing. So I started twisting the bread like your ringing out a dish rag and then doubling it back on itself then twisting it again (about three twists). Then I put it in the loaf pan.
That is the only way I have been able to get my cinnamon bread to stay together.
Thank you for your comment. What do you use on the dough when adding the filling in before you roll up the loaf? I use beaten egg. Doesn't seem to work entirely.
Joe the Baker
I don't use anything, I just put the filling on the bread dough and roll.
Try lightly brushing the rolled out dough with water before sprinling with cinnamon sugar. Leave about 1/2 inch of plain (unsprinkled) dough around the perimeter of the rectangle and roll up tightly. Using butter or egg wash will cause the dough to separate.
Yes, water is the fix. If you have a spray bottle, mist the rolled out dough before you sprinkle on the cinnamon sugar, then lighly spray over the cinnamon sugar and roll up the loaf. Don't forget to pinch it to seal.
If you don't have a spray bottle, brush the surface of the rolled out dough with water, sprinkle the cinnamon sugar, and then as you roll it up, lightly brush the outside (i.e., dough-only side) so that the water-brushed dough comes in contact with the filling. This is actually easier to do than it is to describe. Good Luck! Here's a recent post of mine about cinnamon raisin swirl bread I baked last week.
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/23621/bba-cinnamon-raisin-bread
I use RLB's recipe for cinnamon-raisin bread, though have adapted it for sourdough starter. Her's calls for brushing with lightly beaten egg. I've been doing this and have about 50% success with this separation issue. I'm glad to stumble onto this thread and am going to try the water method!
--Rick
I've been making a sourdough cinnamon swirl bread, sometimes with raisins, for about 4 years now and I always brush it with water before sprinkling on the cinnamon sugar and it's always worked for me.
Thank you all for the tips and comments. I will make another attempt in hopes of success. I will keep you all posted.
Joe the Baker
I'm with Betty on this one. If you leave two bits of dough together with nothing between them they will join together. If you put something between them - water, beaten egg, flour, etc - they may join up, but it's a bit hit and miss.
Try it on your worktop next time you make some bread.
Brushing two edges of bread dough to get them to stick is a pastry technique, and has no place in breadmaking - IMO!
Here's my take on Chelsea buns, similar to your cinnamon swirl bread:
http://nobreadisanisland.blogspot.com/2010/08/chelsea-buns-undercover.html
Cheers, Paul
I make cinnamon swirl bread frequently, and I use nothing byt the filling and then roll it up. I have no problem with delaminating. I will reiterate, be sure to leave enough uncoated dough to close, and be sure to pinch tightly and put the seam down in the pan.