My first post of the 2022!

Whenever I think of cinnamon, I always remember that one evening when I ate warm cinnamon rolls with icing for the first time. To put it in a better way, I’m reminded of that experience intertwined with the aroma, the taste plus the satisfactory feeling and the empty baking pan (not even half an hour in!), all bundled into one. I realised I had to celebrate that experience and here we are today!

I recently watched a video about Challah (a braided Jewish bread) and I had this brainwave of filling each braid with a cinnamon mix to create “a braided tunnel bread”. Unfortunately, a few videos later, my eureka moment was baked out with the discovery that, indeed, tunnel breads with cinnamon do exist. I guess everyone loves cinnamon as much as I do!

All I can say after making this bread is that it is extremely satisfying to look at the finished product and you can proudly say that you have baked it. My Sunday feels extremely productive and well-spent now!

An afternoon classic

(Recipe adapted from Jenny Can Cook)

Braided bread:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 7g active dry yeast (/instant yeast)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• A pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup warm milk (110-130 degrees F)
• 3 tbsp. neutral oil
• 1 egg
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup additional flour, for kneading
• 2 tbsp. softened butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. cinnamon

• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tsp. water

Combine flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a bowl with a whisk. Gradually add the warm milk, oil and egg and mix until combined for about 2 minutes. Fold in the raisins along with 1/4 cup of flour to form the dough. Transfer the dough onto a floured working surface. Knead the dough for about 2 minutes, adding extra flour, if sticky. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel for about 15 minutes.

Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon for the filling.

Roll the rested dough into a 9 by 12 inch rectangle. Cut 3, 3 inch wide strips using a bench scraper. Spread the softened butter onto the strips. Equally divide and spoon the cinnamon filling in a line onto the strips. Close the strips to form tunnels by stretching them and pinching the ends close with some flour.

Keeping the closed side down, braid the tunnels to form the bread, pinching the ends neatly. Transfer the bread onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and allow to rest for about an hour.

Combine the egg yolk water to form the egg wash. Brush the risen bread with it and bake in a preheated oven at 180C for 25 minutes, rotating the bread halfway. To avoid burning the bread, cover it with a foil tent in the last ten minutes.

Glaze:

• 1 cup icing sugar
• 2-4 tbsp. milk

Combine to form the glaze. Drizzle onto the cooled bread. Voila!

Well, how does it taste? Its a soft, easy to pull apart bread with a rich cinnamon filling. Along the way, you’ll be surprised with “oomph's” from the raisins and the glaze perfectly rounds everything off, signalling your brain for another slice!