An Orange & Cinnamon Swirl Bread

An Orange & Cinnamon Swirl Bread is this month challenge at We Knead To Bake #27.  The original recipe is from book 500 breads by Carol Beckerman.

It’s a simple American sweet bread. The uniqueness is its aroma. Yes, the orange and cinnamon combination is superb! Apart from its aroma, the bread dough is rolled with apricot preserve and baked to get the swirl effect. As usual, I go with all purpose & wheat flour combination. 

Ingredients:   1 cup of all purpose flour     ;     ¾ cup of whole wheat flour       ;       ½ tsp of sugar     ;   ¼ cup of brown sugar     ;     1/3 cup of warm water       ;      ¾ tsp of instant yeast      ;      1 tsp salt      ;       1 egg     ;       ½ orange juice & finely grated zest          ;         2 ½ tbsp. of apricot preserves        ;       1/2 tbsp of cinnamon    ;     oil for greasing

Procedure :  Dissolve ½  tsp sugar in the warm water and sprinkle the yeast and Leave it for 10 to 15 minutes till frothy.

In a bowl, mix together the all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, salt. Add the (liquid) yeast mixture, eggs, Orange juice and the orange zest and combine well to form firm dough.

Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 10 minutes until it become smooth and elastic. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and coat the dough with oil and cover the bowl with damp cloth and leave it for 90 minutes or until doubled in size.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and punch down def°late and Knead again for a few minutes until the dough feels firm. Roll into to 3” x 12” rectangles.

Spread each rectangle with apricot preserves and sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar. Roll up each triangle like a jelly roll and place in the loaf tins and cover the loaf tin with damp cloth and leave it for about 30 minutes or until double in size.

Transfer the loaf tin into a 200°C pre-heated the oven and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the bottom of the loaves make a hollow sound when tapped. Transfer the bread on the wire rack and allow it to cool.

I am sure Orange & Cinnamon Swirl Bread won’t disappoint you!