Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread + Weekly Menu

This is the perfect recipe to post on this most uneventful day. Today is the first day in a long, long time that I have NOTHING I “have” to do. What a beautiful thing…

While the weather isn’t fabulous, it could be worse. I was just happy to sleep in, and wake-up to Mr. Prevention at my side. Of course, he continued to catch another 2+ hours of beauty rest while I got up and got busy on this recipe. Happy to do so, I should add.

I saw this Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread 2 weeks ago and I’ve been chomping at the bit, literally, to make it ever since. This is the perfect breakfast treat…on occasion. While I can’t sing the praises of its nutritional composition, that is quickly forgotten as it melts in your mouth.

Plan ahead as this isn’t a quick treat. But I assure you, it is well worth the wait. Mr. Prevention enjoyed the cinnamon and sugar scent wafting its way up to the bedroom. He reported directly to the kitchen, inquiring what I was up to. What can I say? The man loves his carbs. But then again, who doesn’t? 😉

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Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread from Joy the Baker, adapted from Hungry Girl por vida, as seen on Annie’s Eats

For the dough:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
1/2 tsp salt
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 cup whole milk
1/4 cup water
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs

For the filling:
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg

Directions:

To make the dough, combine the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook. Combine the butter and milk in a small saucepan and heat just until the butter is melted. Set aside and let cool briefly, until the mixture registers 115-125 F, or until a thin film starts to form on the mixture. Add the milk mixture, water, vanilla and eggs to the mixer bowl. Mix on low speed until a cohesive ball of dough forms. Continue to knead until smooth and elastic, adding additional flour as needed 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough clears the sides of the bowl and is tacky but not sticky. Knead about 3-5 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat, and cover. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. (After the dough has doubled, it can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before proceeding.)

While the dough rises, melt the butter. Set aside. Combine the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl and mix well.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and gently deflate. Roll into a ball, cover with a clean towel and let rest for 5 minutes. Roll the dough out into an approximately 12 x 20-inch rectangle. Brush the dough with the butter and sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the dough in an even layer.

Lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan and dust with flour. Slice the dough vertically into 6 even strips. Stack the strips on top of each other and again cut again into 6 equal slices, to make little squares. Stack all the squares on top of each other and set into the prepared loaf pan. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place, 30-45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Transfer the loaf to the oven and bake 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let rest in the pan 20-30 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen and carefully turn the loaf out, transferring to a serving plate. Serve warm. Yield: one 9 x 5″ loaf (about 8 servings of 4 to 5 tear-away pieces each).

Nutrition Information (per serving): 410 calories; 13.6 g. fat; 84 mg. cholesterol; 252 mg. sodium; 65.6 g. carbohydrate; 1.7 g. fiber; 6.9 g. protein

Result: Heavenly, obviously 🙂 It’s hard to stop — make it for a group, or one hungry, hungry husband! 😀 Enjoy!

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Yesterday was weigh-in. I attended a new meeting and sadly, their scale was not reflective of my own. While I was expecting a small loss (0.2 lbs), their scale read +0.8 lbs. That’s okay, though…no biggie. I’m feeling motivated! However, last night was an indulgent order of Chimichangas and beer tasting and this morning started off with this sinful Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread! Calories all accounted for!

Workout-wise, yesterday was 45 arduous mintutes on the elliptical followed by a mile cool-down walk on the treadmill. I also walked Lily twice yesterday. Today will be a run…probably 5 miles or so. 🙂

Weekly Menu: May 1st – 5th

• Sunday:Peach and Gorgonzola Chicken Pizza on Beer Pizza Dough
• Monday: Shrimp Cobb Salad
• Tuesday: Tacos (unsure on meat recipe…) with Cilantro Slaw and Avocado Cream and Tomato-Serrano Salsa
• Wednesday: leftovers
• Thursday: on the road to Chicago – probably Subway.

Question: What’s your favorite sinful breakfast?

Nom nom nom,