Recipe: Orange Cinnamon Swirl Bread

ORANGE CINNAMON SWIRL BREAD

"Use sweet oranges such as Valencias or navel, ruby blood oranges, tangerines, or mandarins to vary the flavor and color. I love bread-baking projects, and this comes out fragrant and fine-crumbed every time. You can make the dough one day, let it rest in the fridge, roll it the next, and let it rest again if you don't have time for the whole process in one day."

1 tablespoon (1 package) active dry yeast
Pinch sugar
1/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F)
1 cup warm milk (105 to 115 degrees F)
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 eggs
Grated zest of 2 oranges
1 teaspoon salt
6 1/2 to 7 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose bread flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar mixed with 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted for brushing
Ground cinnamon for dusting (optional)

In a small bowl, sprinkle yeast and pinch of sugar over warm water. Stir to dissolve and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, using a whisk, or in the workbowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine milk, juice, sugar, butter, eggs, zest, salt and 2 cups unbleached flour. Beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Add yeast mixture and 1 cup more flour. Beat 1 minute more. Add the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time to form a soft dough that just clears the sides of the bowl, switching to a wooden spoon when necessary if mixing by hand.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and springy, about 3 minutes, adding 1 tablespoon of flour at a time as necessary to prevent sticking. Place in a greased deep container, turn once to coat the top, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

(Make-ahead note: Place dough in greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Bring to room temperature (takes about 2 hours) and allow to rise about 1 hour more before the next step.)

Turn the dough out onto the work surface and divide into 2 equal portions. Roll or pat each portion into a thick rectangle about 8 by 12 inches. Brush the surface of each rectangle lightly with melted butter and sprinkle with half of the cinnamon sugar, leaving a 1-inch border all around the edges. Roll up jellyroll fashion from the narrow end to form a fat loaf shape. Pinch all the seams to completely seal. Place each loaf seam-side down in a greased 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Lightly dust with plain ground cinnamon for decoration, if desired. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until 1 inch above the rims of the pans, about 45 minutes.

(The rolled dough can be refrigerated again, covered, another 24 hours. Bring to room temperature and allow to rise until about 1 inch above rims before baking.)

Twenty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake in the center of the preheated oven until the bread is golden brown, hollow sounding when tapped, and a cake tester inserted into the center of a loaf comes out clean, about 40-45 minutes. Remove from the pans to cool completely on racks before slicing.

Makes 2 (9x5-inch) loaves
From: Baking Bread by Beth Hensperger
Adapted from source: By Kristen Browning-Blas, Denver Post