Cinnamon Chip Swirl Loaf
Supplies:
Kitchen scale
Large bowl
Bench scraper
Banneton
Razor blade
Ingredients:
380 grams organic unbleached bread flour plus 40 grams whole wheat flour
306 grams water
85 grams active sourdough starter at its peak (two to three times its original size); please feed your starter 12 hours prior
10 grams salt
Rice flour (for sprinkling in the banneton)
Add-ins:
⅓ cup cinnamon chips
Cinnamon powder
Directions:
In a medium-sized bowl, add your active starter and water. Mix with a wooden spoon or spatula. Add the flour and salt. Using your hands, mix the dough very thoroughly, until there are no dry bits of flour or lumps and all of the salt has dissolved (you shouldn't feel any grains). This may take a few minutes. Using a bench scraper, scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure that everything is incorporated. Cover with plastic or a damp tea towel. Allow the mixture to sit for one hour (this hour begins as soon as you start mixing your dough with your hands).
Next, start your folds. To perform a coil fold, wet both of your hands, then scoop them underneath the dough and pull it up and toward yourself. After pulling the dough up and in, place it back in the bowl, letting it coil over itself. Do this in the same direction until all of the dough has been lifted from the bowl and coiled. Then, turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat the process on each side of the dough. Cover the bowl, and allow it to rest. Perform a total of four coil folds, each 30 minutes apart. During the second coil, fold in the cinnamon chips.
After your last fold, let your dough sit untouched and covered for four to five hours, until it is fully proofed. This amount of time is completely dependent on temperature, including dough temperature and ambient temperature.
Then it’s time to pre-shape. Place a bench scraper underneath the dough at a 45-degree angle. Using circular motions, scrape the dough under itself and toward you to create a round, tight ball of smooth dough. Allow this to rest for 20 to 30 minutes, covered by a tea towel.
Sprinkle a banneton with rice flour and cinnamon powder. Sprinkle a light coating of flour on your shaping surface. Use the bench scraper to flip the dough upside down onto your floured surface, and then mold into desired shape. (I have many videos on Instagram and Facebook on this). After shaping your dough, cover it, put it in the refrigerator overnight, and bake the following morning.
Preheat your oven to 500 degrees with your cast iron/Dutch oven in the oven. Once preheated, take your cold dough out of the refrigerator and put it on a piece of parchment paper. Sprinkle it with flour and use a razor to score your bread. Place it in the Dutch oven (still on the parchment paper) and bake for 23 minutes. Lower heat to 450 degrees, remove the lid, and bake for another 18 minutes or until golden brown.
Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients:
Dough
1 package yeast (2¼ teaspoons)
1 cup milk
½ cup granulated sugar
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus up to ½ cup more as needed
6 tablespoons butter, diced and softened
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
Filling
1 stick butter, softened
½ cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup white sugar
3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Frosting
¾ cup cream cheese
1 cup icing sugar, or more to taste
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Directions:
Warm milk to around 100 degrees. This will take 30 to 45 seconds in the microwave—do not use milk that is hotter than 105 degrees, or you will destroy the yeast.
Place yeast in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon warm milk and 1 teaspoon sugar. Stir, then let sit for five minutes, until bubbles appear on the surface.
Place flour, butter, salt, eggs, yeast mixture, and remaining milk and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer. Stir a little to roughly combine.
Knead with the dough hook on medium speed until dough forms a ball. It should be completely smooth. If dough doesn't form a ball, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing on low speed, until dough pulls together (do not add too much flour, or dough will have a biscuit-like texture). Kneading can take around 10 to 12 minutes, so be patient.
Place dough in a greased bowl. Shape into a ball, pinching the bottom to form a smooth surface. Place it seam-size down, then cover with a clean tea towel. Let the dough rise in a warm place for one hour, or until doubled in size.
Dust work surface with flour. Turn out dough on floured surface, punch down and roll into a rectangle, about 18 by 12 inches and ¼ inch thick. Spread softened butter over dough. Combine both sugars and the cinnamon for the filling in a small bowl. Evenly sprinkle over butter. Roll up into a log from the longer side and pinch the seam to seal. Situate the log seam-side down and slice into 12 rolls (I use a piece of sewing thread or dental floss for neat rolls).
Place rolls in greased 9×13-inch pan. Cover with tea towel and let sit until almost doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake rolls for 18 to 20 minutes or until lightly golden brown. If center rolls aren't baked after 20 minutes, tent pan with aluminum foil and bake up to 15 to 20 extra minutes.
Place ingredients for the frosting in a medium mixing bowl. Beat with a hand mixer until smooth.
Once cinnamon rolls are done, remove pan from oven and place on a wire rack. Let sit for five minutes, and then frost rolls while still warm.
For more baking inspiration or to skip the baking and purchase the goods, you can find Crystal at the Drippings Springs Farmer's market or @carbqueensourdough.
The holidays are about warmth, love, and a dash of sweetness in every bite. My favorite part is sharing my love of baking with family and friends, filling bellies and filling our home with laughter and togetherness.