Cinnamon pull-apart bread

Recipe & Food Styling Mari Loewen, Photography Jerry Grajewski

A fan-favourite recipe that is easy to make and so fun to eat.

Ingredients

1 cup milk

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon active dry yeast

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 eggs

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling

2 teaspoons cinnamon

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted

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Preparation

In a saucepan fitted with candy thermometer, over medium heat, warm milk and sugar until mixture reaches 100 ̊F-110 ̊F. Remove from heat, add yeast, whisk to combine. Allow yeast to activate for about 10 minutes. Yeast will dissolve, bubble and foam slightly when activated.

In bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook attachment, combine our, oil, eggs, salt and vanilla. Pour in yeast mixture. At low speed, mix dough until ball forms. Increase speed to medium. Knead dough by mixer for about 5-10 minutes or by hand on an un floured surface until gluten develops. Gluten can be tested by stretching a small piece of dough until it is nearly transparent but doesn't tear.

Oil large bowl and roll dough ball inside bowl to coat, leave dough in bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in refrigerator overnight or on counter for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Once doubled in size, or after overnight refrigeration, roll out dough on lightly floured surface to an 18-inch square.

To assemble, mix cinnamon and sugar together. Brush dough with melted butter. Sprinkle surface with cinnamon sugar. Cut in 6 vertical strips, and 6 horizontal strips, creating 36 squares. Stack 6 squares on top of each other. Place in loaf pan standing on its smaller end. Repeat with remaining squares, stacking on top of original stack in the loaf pan. Place plastic wrap over top and allow to proof until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375 ̊F. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until well browned. Tip out of loaf pan, cool slightly before serving.