My First Loaf

In all of my 21 years of age (and then add another14 years), I have never made a good loaf of bread. It's true. I'm not embarrassed or ashamed to admit that yours truly STINKS at baking.

And just when I thought my baking days were over, Pioneer Woman posted this EASY and DELICIOUS cinnamon bread recipe.

I don't have a mixer here in Dakar either. This was made with my good old fashioned hands and lots of kneading. BUT...

It was a cinch. And the loaf is gorgeous to look at...just like the picture.

I think my failed loafs (or loaves?) were from my lack of patience with letting the dough rise properly while in the baking pan. So luckily, last night, while waiting for the dough to rise... Laird needed two diaper changes, Dylan spit up and required a clothing change, I required a clothing change from Dylan's spit up, Dylan and Laird both got bedtime baths and massages, I re-wrote my lesson plan notes for school that Laird chewed to bits while I was bathing Dylan, and VOILLA!.... 2 hours for the loaf of bread to rise!!!!

Make this bread.

You will love it and your house will smell really really good.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/08/homemade-cinnamon-bread/

Ingredients:

1 cup Milk
6 Tablespoons Butter
2-½ teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
2 whole Eggs
⅓ cups Sugar
3-½ cups All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Salt
⅓ cups Sugar
2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
Egg And Milk, Mixed Together, For Brushing
Softened Butter, For Smearing And Greasing

Preparation Instructions
Melt butter with milk. Heat until very warm, but don’t boil. Allow to cool until still warm to the touch, but not hot. Sprinkle yeast over the top, stir gently, and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix sugar and eggs with the paddle attachment until combined. Pour in milk/butter/yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add half the flour and beat on medium speed until combined. Add the other half and beat until combined.
Switch to the dough hook attachment and beat/knead dough on medium speed for ten minutes. If dough is overly sticky, add 1/4 cup flour and beat again for 5 minutes.
Heat a metal or glass mixing bowl so it’s warm. Drizzle in a little canola oil, then toss the dough in the oil to coat. Cover bowl in plastic wrap and set it in a warm, hospitable place for at least 2 hours.
Turn dough out onto the work surface. Roll into a neat rectangle no wider than the loaf pan you’re going to use, and about 18 to 24 inches long. Smear with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Mix sugar and cinnamon together, then sprinkle evenly over the butter-smeared dough. Starting at the far end, roll dough toward you, keeping it tight and contained. Pinch seam to seal.
Smear loaf pan with softened butter. Place dough, seam down, in the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix a little egg with milk, and smear over the top. Bake for 40 minutes on a middle/lower rack in the oven.
Remove from the pan and allow bread to cool. Slice and serve, or make cinnamon toast or French toast with it.
Yummy!