Cinnamon Wreath Bread

“Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods; and good bread with fresh butter, the greatest of feasts.” 

― James Beard

Bread...butter than cake(err better).

There is nothing better.

The aroma of cinnamon and baking bread...that really erases the dog smell from my house in the monsoons.Ever wonder why I bake so so much bread. I happen to possess a shaggy haired dog who refuses to stop smelling no matter how many times he is bathed.

This Cinnamon Wreath bread ,I saw on the Chef at large page...made beautifully by Aparna Balasubramaniun.Mine does not look as pretty as hers , but the taste was spot on!Got the recipe here.
All these breads are being baked for the World Bread day-Oct 16th.The World Bread Day is Being celebrated here.
I baked on the 14th, but was unable to blog about it before today.

Absolutely essential, absolutely heartwarming and satisfying.
One should be Grateful to god,we have such a myriad of choices...so many different types of bread, to choose from.
Ask a hungry person...or someone who is depriving themselves...what would you like to eat the most. In all probability, they will ask for warm bread and butter.

The most simple of foods.
I know.
I'm fasting this whole week.Navratras.(Nine days without any cereal grains or meats.)There are substitutes, but that satisfaction of a full belly only comes when you eat bread...toast and melted butter does it for me.
Whats your poison???
I made this bread...soft, like a big cinnamon roll. The butter made it taste beautiful and then the cinnamon was amazing.

Simple , and the dough was so soft. The softest I have ever made.
In Honour of the World Bread Day.
Lets bake!

for the

Cinnamon Wreath Bread...

you need

1/2 cup warm milk
2 tsp dried yeast
1 egg yolk
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
3 tsp cinnamon powder
5 tsp icing sugar
1/3 cup or 60 gms soft butter


The milk needs to be warm,not hot.Add in the sugar and  the yeast,stirring to dissolve.

Set that aside.
In the mean while,crack open the egg and separate the yolk. I used the egg white in an omelet.And the yolk in the bread.
That is the salt ,flour ,egg yolk and butter in the bowl.

And if all goes well, the yeast will bubble up in the milk. Its now or never.

Pour it into the bowl and knead it all together.
I needed a teaspoon of water and my dough was so beautiful. A perfectly obedient child.
No stray bits of flour, no tantrums...no difficulties.
Cover and set aside.

Almost doubled in an hour.

Get the oven on at 200C/400F.
Sprinkle the work surface with flour and roll out the dough into a rectangle almost 1 cm thick.My dough measured about 10 inches by 8 inches.

Whisk the cinnamon into the softened butter and smear it all over the exposed dough!Sprinkle the sugar. OK, I forgot to whisk the sugar into the butter so I spread it over this. Remember to whisk all three together.

Now roll the dough along the width.and try to seal the edges, by pressing them.

Run a knife down the centre, just leaving an inch of joint.

Wrap them around each other, exposing the cut side.

I didn't get the right picture....but you can.

And fashion it into a wreath.Tuck the loose edges under the bread.On a flour dusted cookie sheet or baking tray.

I basted the bread with a little butter and sprinkled some cinnamon and sugar.Straight into the oven for 40 minutes.

The sugar melted with the butter and oozed out of the bread ,all over the caramelized sugar and cinnamon and butter and the bread...the aromas were so strong...they dragged hubby dear out of his den . Off his couch ,with the remote still in his hand...following his nose.

That was something .Hubby dear does not have a sweet tooth, so the fact that he liked this bread with some butter...validates this recipe.

One more tried and tested AWeSoME recipe.
OK , these look like crab legs because I did not tuck the stray edges under the bread.
That is why I need you to tuck them under.


So baking buck wheat flour crackers and chesnut flour cardamom cookies.
All in honour of the Navratras.
Salted Buck wheat flour and sesame Crackers with Extra Virgin Olve oil

Singhara ka atta cookies with sesame and cardamom...no more excuses...Fasting is good!

Water Chesnuts btw...

So what are you baking today???