Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread

Warning: this recipe needs to sit in the fridge for at least a few (which I interpret to read three) hours.  I didn't catch that when I was making it the first time, so instead of eating it on a Saturday, when I started making it, I ate it on Sunday, with friends at Casey's house.  Yeah, my friends were incredibly happy with my mistake.  This bread now has the endorsement of game night friends, plus the elders who just happened to be at Casey's for game night on Sunday (weird, I know).  I thought this was wonderful.

From: http://www.ourbestbites.com/2012/05/cinnamon-pull-apart-bread/

Ingredients:

2 c. whole milk
1/2 c. canola oil
1/2 c. sugar
1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoon)
4 1/2 c. all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 heaping tsp. baking powder
1/2 scant tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar
Cinnamon

Glaze:

8 oz. powdered sugar
4 Tbsp. melted butter
1/2 tsp. almond extract (I did not include this because I think almond extract is disgusting)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (I doubled this, because I wasn't paying attention)
Enough milk to make a glaze to desired consistency

Instructions:

In a large (at least 4-quart) pot or saucepan, combine milk, sugar, and oil. Heat just to boiling, stirring occasionally, and then remove from heat. If you’ve got lots of ice handy, dump all that you have into a clean sink and then place the pan of scalded milk over the ice. This way, the milk mixture cools quickly and the melted ice just drips down the drain.

When the milk has cooled to around 105-115 degrees, remove from ice and sprinkle yeast over the milk mixture. Allow to stand for 5-10 minutes. Stir. Mix in 4 c. flour and cover. This can be done with a wooden spoon; the dough is VERY soft, more like a batter. Allow to stand for 1 hour.

Mix remaining 1/2 c. flour with baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Sprinkle over the dough and then mix it in with the wooden spoon. Place a sheet of plastic wrap over the pan and refrigerate for at least a few hours and up to 24 hours.  (Note, I just covered the dough and the dough grew so it got crusty.  So maybe cover the pan and this won't happen)

Grease a 9×5″ loaf pan and set it aside.

When you’re ready to use the dough, turn it onto a lightly floured surface.

Roll the dough out into a rectangle about 18 inches wide by 9 inches tall. Spread with 6 tablespoons of melted or softened butter. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup sugar and an even sprinkling of cinnamon.

Using a pizza wheel, cut the dough into 6 3″ strips. Stack the strips 3 strips high (so you have 2 piles). Cut each of the stacks into 3 3″ squares. Place the squares, cut side up (not the flat, sugared side) into the prepared pan, being careful not to stuff too much dough into the pan. Any leftover dough can be baked in mini pans or muffin tins.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over the loaf. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Cover and allow to rise for 30 minutes.

While the loaf is rising, preheat oven to 350.

Bake for 25-35 minutes (or until baked through). If you don’t want your fire alarm to go off, place a baking sheet on the rack below the loaf pan. If the loaf is getting too brown on top, lightly place a sheet of aluminum foil over the loaf while it finishes baking.

And this is where I deviate, if you want what they did, go to their website.  Take out of the over but keep on that pan you used to keep the fire alarm from going off.  Allow to cool until it is warmish.  Mix together the glaze during that cooling period.  Dump half to 2/3 of the glaze on top (its on the pan so you can glaze it messily and not worry about cleaning your counter because you already have to wash that pan).  Tip the bread out onto a plate and dump the other half of the glaze on what used to be the bottom.  Serve warm.  Or if you want it to be pretty, after dumping it out, flip it back over but then pour the rest of the glaze on the sides so that the bottom half gets happy and glazed too.