When you have your own business your home tends to, at some point, end up invaded by things/stuff/junk related to said business. Unless you're very, very organized, have a lot of extra space or are so disciplined that you manage to separate both worlds even when working next room from where you sleep, there is a huge chance you will eventually exchange much needed personal space for work related spaces all over your house.
In other words, your home will be overtaken by you business junk.
The tricky thing is to realize this before it takes over your life and you feel like you're living in a warehouse. The former will hardly happen unless you're very disciplined or organized, in which case you won't be writing a post like this one in the first place.
But one aspect that is always pretty organized both in my house and in my mind are cookbooks and food related magazines. I know my recipes; you'd be amazed how I remember where a certain recipe was, even if it's from a magazine, and I have hundreds. Well, most of the time anyway.So, after selling the cafe, narrowing down my textile clients which allow me to focus and not have a million fabrics and projects going on at the same time, my house is starting to get rid of clutter or stuff from those 'in between moments' when you don´t know where you're going, and feel the need to keep everything.
Add to that the recent flood that hit my neighborhood and arbitrarily rid my house of things, whether I wanted or not. Some were welcome, some not so much. But there were no options.Now, I can say I'm considering taking advantage of this sort of clean slate that I have been forced into. It's not so simple, it's very confusing and maddening at times, but it's permeating my mind during the day and keeping me awake during the night. Big changes are a certain thing in my life in the next months. Lets see where they take me.
Today we're celebrating the one year of Twelve Loaves, the group started by my wonderful baking friend Lora, of Cake Duchess. It's dedicated to bread baking, but not necessarily with yeast. Though I use it as an excuse to do so. The idea is to break bread every month with all of our readers, and hopefully encourage to try daring recipes or loose your fear of bread baking.
So I will share this comforting cinnamon sugar challah. Every time I bake with cinnamon, bread especially, the word comfort comes to mind, floating in a sea of confusion and change, it´s a nurturing feeling I need a lot of right now.
Without getting into any deep thoughts, baking bread usually finds me at either end of the stick, very energetic or very meditative bordering sadness. And it lifts me up or enhances the happy feeling.
There's never a bad moment when it comes to bread baking. And challah is one of my favorite, not only because it tastes great but because it's extremely versatile, both in itself and as a leftover. Any bread pudding is made better with it. French toast is amazing with a piece of eggy challah. It makes the best ham and cheese grilled sandwiches. Not to mention croutons. Or the most decadent caramelized apple upside down bread pudding.
I baked this bread more than a month ago, one day when I still had fresh peaches and found the need to perpetuate them in some way. First I made the peaches in vanilla syrup and then set out to make a fresh peach challah, which I haven´t had the time to post yet. There was a variation of cinnamon sugar challah in the book, so in a heartbeat I decided to divide the dough and make both.
I had just seen a fantastic chocolate bread in Shulie's site and this braided estonian kringle in Lora's site, so I went with that idea and let's just say that cinnamon sugar is meant to be baked in direct contact with the heat, as it caramelizes and becomes a crunchy, fragrant surprise. Bake it in any shape you want, and add other spices too or nuts. It makes the day brighter.
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Cinnamon Sugar Challah
- Yield: 2 medium braids 1x
Scale
Ingredients
For the bread:
- 7 ½ to 8 cups all purpose flour
- 2 ½ cups warm water
- 2 Tbs active dry yeast
- 1/3 cup + 1 Tbs sugar
- 3 large eggs (room tº)
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons salt
For the filling:
- 3 Tbs heavy cream
- 4 Tbs sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
For the bread:
- In a large bowl or in the work bowl of a stand mixer, place 6 cups of the flour.
- Make a well in the center with your hand and pour ½ cup of the water and sprinkle yeast and 1 Tbs of sugar over the water. Stir the water gently to dissolve the yeast (some of the flour will be incorporated) and let stand 10 minutes.
- Add the remaining sugar, remaining water, eggs, oil and salt and mix with a wooden spoon or the paddle attachment until a shaggy mass is formed. This dough comes together quickly.
- If using stand mixer knead for 6 or 7 minutes, adding additional flour 1 Tbs at a time if needed to form a smooth and springy but not dry dough.
- If kneading by hand turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 6 to 8 minutes adding additional flour 1 Tbs at a time if needed to form a smooth and springy but not dry dough.
- Place the dough in a greased deep container. Turn over to coat with oil, cover with film and let rise in a warm, draft free area until doubled, about 2 to 2 ½ hours. Don't let rise more than doubled.
- Gently deflate dough down, cover again and let rise until almost doubled, about 1 hour.
- Gently deflate dough. Turn onto a lightly floured work surface and divide in 2 equal portions. Roll each piece into a rectangle. Brush with half the cream. Sprinkle with half the cinnamon sugar. Repeat with other rectangle.
- Roll up like you would cinnamon rolls, starting at the long edge. Transfer the rolls to a greased parchment paper that will fit the baking tray. (You can use two papers and baking trays, or keep one half of the dough in the refrigerator while you roll and let the other rise. When ready to bake the first one, take the second piece of dough out, roll, fill and let rise. Bake one at a time).
- Cut the roll in two, exposing the filling. Put the ropes side by side and pinch the edges together on one end. Twist the two halves together carefully. Pinch the other end. Bring the two ends together to form a rope. Transfer the parchment paper carefully to the baking tray.
- Cover loosely with some foil or parchment paper and let rise until it's spongy but not quite doubled, about 45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350ºF / 180ºC about 20 minutes before baking.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until sugar has caramelized, bread is deeply golden and bottom sounds hollow when tapped.
- Let cool on wire rack before slicing.
For the filling:
- Mix cinnamon and sugar in a bowl.
adapted form TheBread Bible, by Beth Hensperger
For this one year anniversary party, we each baked whatever bread we wanted. Take a look:
- Apple Kuchen by Liz at That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Basic Focaccia by Holly at A Baker's House
- Buttermilk Sourdough Waffles by Renee at Magnolia Days
- Cinnamon Crescent Rolls by Krista at A Handful of Everything
- Cinnamon Rolls by Dionne at Try Anything Once Culinary
- Olive Bread by Rossella at Ma che ti sei mangiato
- San Francisco Sourdough Bread by Karen at Karen's Kitchen Stories
- Zucchini Pineapple Quick Bread by Lyn at The Lovely Pantry
This looks wonderful, I MUST make this!
I know I will have a dream tonight about makin French toast with this challah! I can actually smell the cinnamon here... so much so that I just checked to see if I was baking something! Thanks, Paula! Good luck keeping things organized. It would have been better to do this on your own terms, rather than at the mercy of the storm. ~ David
Paula..let's set up our cinnamon sugar challahs on a date. I'm loving your version, it looks so moist, with the perfect density, and that cinnamon ripple is tantalizing. OMG, my mouth watered when I typed that and looked at the photos again. That said - thank you for your thoughtful and sweet regarding my friend's passing. She was young (30's), so a life cut way too short.
Homemade bread alone is comforting but there is something about cinnamon bread that is especially so. The peach version sounds excellent too and were just a week or so away from peaches here!
I have baked many many challahs but never cinnamon sugar, Paula. This braid looks mouthwatering and just in time for the weekend. How lovely!
Paula,
I feel you sister. I've never experienced a storm, fire, whatever that took away personal belongings. It's ok to scream at the top of your lungs (which I hope you have done; it'll make you feel better). . but yes, after that, I like your thinking about a clean slate and moving forward. . there can only be good, positive and exciting things for you in the future! Stay focused and strong. Big changes are good and I am excited for you . . I can't wait to see what happens. .
And oh my gawd! This beautiful Challah and that Chocolate yeast cake?! What?! I'm adding these to my ever growing list ..
Oh Paula, this bread looks wonderful, I can smell the cinnamon from here.
Years ago, my husband had an own business from home, so I know what are you talking about, my house were invaded with boxes and boxes full of products...!!!
I do wish you positive changes from here on out. I hope you and everyone in your neighborhood has recovered what you need from the flood. The clean slate can be a good thing, but it's harder when it isn't our idea in the first place. Your challah looks absolutely beautiful! I could use some right now with a cup of tea.
That is an absolutely gorgeous bread, Paula! I am just knocked over! I can only imagine the lovely scent in your kitchen as you were baking! And I feel the same way about bread baking as you...meditative or energizing. But either way, always a feel good task!
Oh i love this kind of sweet eggy bread! Especially the next day when it makes the best french toast.
The Bread Bible is one of my favorite cookbooks - and the twisted look of this challah is so tempting! Lovely!
Lovely challah and cinnamon makes it even more awesome!
This challah is insanely gorgeous!!! I posted a cinnamon sugar bread last week (like...the 10th one I have...LOL) but have never done cinn sugar challah. I need to. Wow, yours is a work of art!
What a beautiful looking Challah! I bet it's sensational using this for french toast --yum!!!
Oh the wonderful possibilities! Such a beautiful bread. I hope to get more experience so that I too can create breads like this. Gosh, so pretty. I think I need to get my hands on that book!
I think it is time I join up with this group, I need an excuse to make delicious homemade bread!!! Your Challah looks wonderful, love the addition of lots of cinnamon sugar, YUM!! Oh and organized....what is that? LOL! Hugs, Terra