Ingredients
- 3/4 3/4
- c + 2 tbsp milk
- 2 1/4 2 1/4
- tsp active dry yeast
- 1/2 1/2
- c butter, melted
- 1/2 1/2
- c + 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 1
- egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2 1/2
- tsp granulated salt
- 3 3
- c unbleached flour
- 2 2
- tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 1/2
- tsp vanilla
- 1 1
- c powdered sugar
- Orange zest or chopped nuts (optional)
Preparation
Step 1
Heat 3/4 c milk until just warm, but not hot to touch. Pour into a large mixing bowl and add yeast. Stir till yeast is dissolved and let sit for 5-10 minutes. With a mixer, beat 1/4 c melted butter, 2 tbsp sugar, egg, and salt into the milk and yeast mixture until combined. Add half of the flour, then beat on medium speed to incorporate flour, scraping sides as needed, for 3 minutes. Stir in remaining flour. The dough will not be smooth, but shape it into a ball and transfer to a medium oiled bowl. Cover and set aside in a warm spot to rise and double, about 45-60 minutes.
Butter a 9“x5“x3” loaf pan; set aside. Mix 1/2 c granulated sugar with 2 tsp cinnamon; set aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 20“x12” rectangle. It will be much easier to cut into pieces if the dough is more rectangular in shape, so trim two edges so they are squared off and reincorporate the trimmed dough into the other two edges with a bit of water if necessary. Brush the dough with remaining 1/4 c melted butter and sprinkle surface with sugar and cinnamon mixture. Cut the dough into five (5) 4“strips (12” long). Stack the strips, then cut them into six (6) 2“pieces (4”) long. Starting from one end of the loaf pan, loosely stack the 4” strips in the prepped pan, with cut edges up. Stagger them so that every other strip abuts opposite sides of the pan. You will have just enough strips to fill the pan. Let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.
Make the glaze while you wait. In a small bowl, stir together powdered sugar, vanilla, and remaining 2 tbsp milk to achieve drizzling consistency. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake loaf till golden brown, about 30 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Then remove loaf from pan and transfer to serving plate. Drizzle with glaze. Top with orange zest or chopped nuts if you have any.