Pull Apart Cinnamon Bread

INGREDIENTS

Dough

• 450 g (3 cups) all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 50 g (3+1/2 tbsp) sugar
• 5 g (2+1/2 tsp) active dry yeast activate it if your yeast requires it
• 140-160 ml (2/3 cup) milk lukewarm
• 60 g (1/4 cup) unsalted  butter melted
• 2 eggs beaten

Filling

• 70 g (1/3 cup) unsalted  butter softened at room temperature
• 100 g (2/3 cup) dark brown Muscovado sugar
• 8 g 1 tbsp ground cinnamon according to your taste

Extra

• flour for dusting the work surface
• 1 beaten egg for brushing the top
• melted butter for brushing the top (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Dough

1. In a large bowl whisk together flour and salt. Add sugar, active dry yeast and combine.
2. In a medium size bowl combine the wet ingredients: lukewarm milk, melted butter and beaten eggs.
3. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients in two times and mix with a spatula until almost combined.
4. Start kneading with your hands until it pulls away from the edges of the bowl (about 1 minute): if the  dough is too wet, you can add some extra flour; if it’s too dry you can add some extra lukewarm milk. You’ll get a soft and little bit sticky  dough ball.
5. Cover with plastic wrap and a tea towel; let it rise in a warm place until it double in size (about 1 ½ hour).

Filling

1. In a medium size bowl combine the softened  butter with sugar and cinnamon until creamy.

Assemble the Bread

1. On a floured surface, roll the dough to a rectangle about 20x14 inch.
2. Spread evenly the butter and cinnamon mixture, then cut into 6 long strips.
3. Stack three strips on top of each other to get 2 stacks of three strips.
4. Cut each stack into 4 squares.
5. Transfer every square stack to a loaf  pan 4.5 x 9 inch lined with parchment paper and greased.
6. Spread apart every layer with your hands.
7. Cover with a tea towel and let it rise at room temperature for about 30 minutes (you can also place it in the refrigerator and bake it the day after).
8. Brush the top of the  bread with beaten egg and bake in preheated oven at 350° F for about 30-35 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean). After 20 minutes baking, you can cover the top with aluminium foil to prevent burnt.
9. While it’s still hot, you can brush it with melted  butter (optional).
10. Serve it warm.