Strawberry Cinnamon Swirl Bread
A beautiful cinnamon bread with dried strawberries inside!
Servings 10 slices
Ingredients
For the bread:
- 2 cups warm water
- 1 tablespoon dry yeast
- 1 cup whole wheat flour superfine or very finely milled
- ½ cup instant oats
- 4 cups bread flour more or less
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon salt
For the cinnamon filling:
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 cup dried strawberries
Instructions
For the bread:
- In a small bowl, mix ½ cup of water with 1 tablespoon dry yeast. Let stand a few minutes until foamy.
- Mix 1 cup whole wheat flour, ½ cup instant oats, 1 cup of the bread flour, and 1 tablespoon salt in a stand mixer or a large bowl if made by hand.
- Make a well in the center, add 2 tablespoons honey, remaining water, and yeast mixture. Stir with a wooden or silicone spoon or spatula until very well combined.
- With the dough hook, start mixing the dough at medium speed, adding the rest of the bread flour, ½ cup at a time, until the dough comes together.
- Knead for 6 or 7 minutes, adding extra tablespoons of bread flour if needed. The dough needs to remain somewhat sticky but not wet; it will never be a tight ball.
- Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface.
- Roll the dough into a rectangle, with a rolling pin, or stretch it with your hands. Flour the surface as needed, but as little as possible.
- Brush the cinnamon filling over the entire surface of the dough. Scatter 1 cup dried strawberries on top of the dough.
- Roll as if you were making cinnamon rolls, then cut them into two equal pieces.
- Place each piece in an oiled loaf pan, cover with plastic and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
- About 20 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC).
- Bake bread for 25 minutes, lower the oven to 350ºF / 180ºC and keep on baking for 10 to 15 more minutes until golden brown and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped.
- Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
- It can be kept for a month in the freezer, well wrapped.
For the cinnamon filling:
- Mix 3 tablespoons butter, melted, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl.
Notes
Storing: keep it wrapped in plastic for a day at room temperature or in the fridge for a week. If freezing the bread, I recommend slicing it first.
