Cinnamon roll bread and sweet cinnamon cream cheese

A pull-apart bread that's perfect for a festive breakfast or brunch, served with a slather of cream cheese or just as it is. The bread can be partially made in advance and baked on the day of serving.

Credit: Mary Makes It Easy

• makes

  1

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  45 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

Dough

• ¼ cup (60 ml) whole milk
• 3 tsp (14 g) unsalted butter, softened
• ¼ cup + 2 tbsp (90 ml) boiling water
• 1¾–2 cups (235–270 g) bread flour
• 1½ tbsp (25 g) brown sugar
• 1 tsp instant yeast
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 1 egg, room temperature
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Filling

• ½ cup (100 g) packed brown sugar
• 1½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground cardamom
• 1/8 tsp kosher salt
• 3 tsp (14 g) unsalted butter, melted

Egg wash

• 1 egg
• 3 tsp (15 ml) water

Sweet cinnamon cream cheese

• 225 g spreadable cream cheese
• 1½-2 tbsp icing sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Rising time: 2 hours.

Instructions

1. For the dough, combine the milk and butter in a glass measuring cup or heatproof bowl. Add boiling water and set aside until the butter has melted.
2. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together 1¾ cups of flour with sugar, yeast and salt. Make a well in the centre and set aside.
3. Beat the egg and vanilla into the milk mixture and add into the flour mixture. Stir until a shaggy dough forms. Turn out into a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 6 to 8 minutes or on medium speed with a dough hook for 5 to 6 minutes until smooth, adding more flour as needed to keep it from sticking to your hands.
4. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover with a kitchen plate or a clean kitchen towel and allow the dough to rise in a warm place for 1 to 1½ hours or until doubled in bulk. Meanwhile, prepare a large baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
5. Prepare the filling by mixing together the brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom and salt in a small bowl.
6. Once risen, punch the dough down and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Pat and stretch the dough into roughly a 20 cm x 35 cm (8 in x 14 in) rectangle. Brush the melted butter over the surface and scatter the brown sugar mixture on top, making sure to spread it out evenly from edge to edge. With a long edge of the dough towards you, roll the dough into a log and pinch the seam and ends to seal.
7. Transfer the log onto the parchment lined baking sheet and, using a pair of kitchen shears, start at one end of the log and snip the dough at roughly a 45° angle, almost completely cutting through the log. Shift the snipped piece to one side then repeat the cut every 4-5 cm (1½-2 in) along the length of the dough, alternating the sides you shift the snipped piece to.
8. Lightly cover the shaped loaf with a clean kitchen towel and place in a warm spot to rise for another 30 to 40 minutes or until slightly puffy (alternatively, the shaped loaf can be stored in the fridge at this point - see Note). Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F).
9. For the cream cheese, in a small bowl, stir together the cream cheese, icing sugar to taste, cinnamon and vanilla until well combined, adding more sugar if needed. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
10. For the egg wash, whisk together the egg and water and brush over the prepared loaf. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 85°C (190°F).
11. Transfer the bread to a wire rack and allow it to cool slightly before serving with sweet cinnamon cream cheese.

 

Note

• This loaf can be prepared and shaped up to this point and stored in the fridge to rise for up to 12 hours. Simply cover the loaf with a clean kitchen towel and wrap the whole baking sheet in a large plastic bag or plastic wrap and place in the fridge. Before baking, you will need to bring the dough back up to warm room temperature by placing a 9-by-13-inch pan in the bottom of a cold oven and pouring in 1-inch of boiling water. Place the loaf into the oven and set a timer for 30 minutes. Remove the loaf and the pan of water before bringing your oven up to temperature and baking as directed above.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.