Cinnamon Swirl Bread with Crumble Topping

Ingredients:

Bread:

• 1 packet yeast

• 1 1/2 cups warm milk

• 1/3 cup sugar

• 1 tbsp salt

• 3 tbsp melted unsalted butter

• 2 eggs

• 5-6 cups flour

Swirl:

• 1/3 cup rum or fruit juice

• 1 1/2 cups raisins

• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar

• 1 tbsp cinnamon

• 2 eggs

Topping:

• 1/2 cup flour

• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 3 tbsp unsalted butter

• Pinch salt

Directions:

1. Warm milk to about 110-115° (42-46° C). In a bowl or electric stand mixer, combine yeast and 1/4 cup warm milk. Let stand 5 minutes. Then add remaining milk, salt, sugar, melted butter, and eggs.

2. Add 5 cups of flour and knead together for 8-10 minutes until dough is smooth and bounces back when poked. Or, mix with a paddle attachment until smooth, about two minutes then switch to a dough hook and knead for about 10 minutes. Add more flour as needed.

3. Grease a large bowl with butter and place the dough into the bowl, making sure to grease the top of the dough so it doesn’t dry out. Cover and set in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled in size.

4. Meanwhile, make the filling. Place the raisins in a bowl and heat up the rum or fruit juice until it is hot. Pour the hot juice over the raisins and let sit for 1 hour. Drain the raisins. Grease two 9x5 loaf pans. Mix together the cinnamon and sugar.

5. When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down to release some air to make it easier to work with. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead, briefly, just to get it into a shape, then make a well in the center of the dough. Add in the raisins. Knead together for about 3 minutes, until the raisins are evenly distributed.

6. Divide the dough in half and roll one half into a large rectangle about as wide as the loaf pan (8 inches). Whisk the egg, then brush the egg wash all over the rolled out dough. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar mixture over the dough. Then, starting with the shorter side, roll the dough tightly into an 8-inch log, tucking the ends underneath. Place the roll seam-side down in the loaf pan. Repeat with the second half of the dough and the second half of the cinnamon sugar mixture. TIP: If you want your baked good to flake apart, use butter in between layers. Butter will separate into distinct layers while egg wash acts as a glue. Cinnamon rolls use butter because you want them to peel apart. We use egg wash in this recipe because you don’t want your toast to break apart into layers when you put it in the toaster.
   

7. Cover the loaves and let rise for another 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the loaves are just above the top of the loaf pans.

8. Make crumble topping by mixing together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in the butter until completely incorporated. Mixture should be crumbly and hold together when squeezed between your fingers. Keep in refrigerator until ready to use.

9. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Make another egg wash using 1 egg. Brush on the tops of loaves right before baking. Sprinkle loaves with the crumble topping.

10. Bake bread for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350° F (175° C) and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, or until loaves are a golden brown color and sound hollow when tapped. Can also check for doneness by testing the internal temperature. Loaves are done when the internal temperature is around 200ºF.

11. Remove loaves and let cool on wire racks.

Recipe by Michaela Keil