I keep thinking fall started months ago. I blame the mornings for being gray since August because one month of gray skies has me thinking about stews and cider and cinnamon. Actually, I have been thinking about cinnamon a lot lately, but it felt unfair to think about cinnamon when I had five-pound zucchinis and heirloom tomatoes sitting on my kitchen counter.
Okay, I still have one last five-pound zucchini on the counter, but it just feels like fall. Maybe it’s the fact that I just read a book that gushed about things like apple cider. Maybe it’s the fact that I have started work and the emphasis is on a “fall start date.” I don’t know. I guess the slight newness of routine finally nudged me towards believing the seasons have changed ;)
In the name of trying things new, I decided a cinnamon fig walnut bread would be in the works. A toast studded with figs and walnuts and swirled with cinnamon sugar sounded like a good breakfast on-the-go. Probably even better with cinnamon honey butter. Mmm…
Or even better yet: future French toast! Oh the possibilities :)
For now, I think I will settle on that slice of toast with cinnamon honey butter. It’s still gray out this morning and I am still struggling with the Sunday-ness of it all–the end of the weekend and the start of the workweek. Of course, Sundays get better with time, but it’s made slightly better by hot coffee and spiced toast.
Cinnamon Fig Walnut Bread
Slight adaptation of Bella Eats’s adaptation of Peter Reinhart’s The Bread Baker’s Apprentice (via Bella Eats)
1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
2 tbsp honey
3 1/2 cups unbleached bread flour, plus extra
1 1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp active dry yeast
1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 large eggs, slightly beaten and separated (1 for inclusion in the dough; another for egg wash)
2 tbsp vegetable shortening, at room temperature
3/4 cup warm water (at approximately 105 degrees)
1 cup dried figs, chopped
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup granulated sugar (for cinnamon sugar swirl)
2 tbsp ground cinnamon (for cinnamon sugar swirl)
2 tbsp butter, melted
Dissolve the honey in the buttermilk by heating both over low heat. Allow to cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, add the yeast to the water and a small spoonful of sugar. Allow the yeast to sit and activate.
Sift together the flour, salt, yeast and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Add 1 egg, shortening, and buttermilk mixture. Stir together with a large spoon (or mix on low speed in a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment). Add the yeast water mixture until the ingredients come together and form a ball. Adjust with flour and water if the dough seems too sticky or too dry and stiff.
Sprinkle flour on a counter and transfer the dough to the counter. Knead (or mix on medium speed with the dough hook). The dough should be soft and pliable, tacky but not sticky. Add flour as you knead (or mix), if necessary to achieve this texture. Knead by hand for approximately 10 minutes (or by machine for 6 to 8 minutes). Sprinkle in the figs and walnuts during the final 2 minutes of kneading (or mixing) to distribute them evenly. If you are kneading with a mixer, you’ll want to finish kneading by hand to avoid crushing the figs and walnuts, and to be sure to distribute them evenly.
Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to ferment at room temperature for approximately 2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size.
Mix together the 1/2 cup sugar and 2 tbsp ground cinnamon. Set aside.
Butter two 4×8 loaf pans.
Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll one piece into a 5×8 rectangle. Brush one side with beaten egg to help bind the layers together. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar mixture over the dough, leaving a small border around the edge of the dough.
Starting at the short end, carefully roll the dough into a tight log, sealing the seam as best you can. Tuck the ends up towards the seam, sealing as best you can. Place the log in a buttered loaf pan, seam-side down. Repeat with the second piece of dough. Spray the tops of the loaves with spray oil and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Place in a warm, draft-free location to proof for 60 to 90 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350* with the rack in the middle of the oven. Uncover the loaves and brush the tops with melted butter. Sprinkle the tops with sugar.
Bake the loaves for 20 minutes. Rotate the loaf pans 180 degrees and continue baking for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the loaves are golden brown on top and lightly golden on the sides and bottom. They should make a hollow sound when thumped on the bottom.
Immediately remove the loaves from their pans and cool on a rack for at least an hour before slicing and serving.
Note: the blog noted some difficulties in getting the layers to stay together, so I followed The Kitchn’s tip in using beaten egg as a binder. Did the job perfectly :)
