Okay….so these are really cinnamon rolls in loaf form.  Good to eat as french toast, french toast sticks, or simply toasted with a little butter.  Doesn’t matter how you choose to eat this bread, just EAT it!!

 

For the bread, I add buttermilk and sugar to the basic bread recipe listed on my site.  Below are the changes in ingredients:

Water – 455 grams

Buttermilk – 240 grams

Sugar – 20 grams

The water is reduced from 680 grams to 455 grams to accommodate the buttermilk and the sugar is a new addition.  Aside from those three changes, everything else is the same. Sometimes I add freshly grated cinnamon to the bread dough.

 

Now, for the filling….

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, melted

1 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1/8 cup honey

3 teaspoons cinnamon (I use grated Saigon cinnamon)

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated

1 cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted

 

Lightly grease an 8.5 x 4.5-inch nonstick loaf pan. Set aside.

 

In a small bowl, mix together the butter, brown sugar, honey, cinnamon and nutmeg. It will be soupy due to the melted butter, but will firm up as it sits (which is what you want).

Cut off a 1.5 – pound piece of dough.  Dust the piece with a little flour and quickly shape into a ball shape by stretching the surface around to the bottom on all sides.

On a work surface lightly dusted with flour, roll the dough into an 8 x 16 rectangle, using a bit more flour when it sticks to the rolling pin.

Spread the sugar mixture evenly over the dough, then do the same with the chopped pecans.

Starting with the short side, roll the dough up jelly roll style.  Roll it snugly so you get a real swirl effect with the cinnamon mixture.  Tight, but not too tight.  I use a dough scraper to help lift the dough off the board, sometimes using a sprinkle of flour to prevent any sticking.

 

Once rolled, pinch under the sides and place seam side down in the loaf pan.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let sit for 1.5 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  No baking stone is necessary.

 

Brush the loaf with an egg wash, place on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes until golden brown on top.

Remove the pan from the oven and let sit for a minute.  I use the plastic dough scraper to loosen the bread from the sides of the pan before turning out on to a cutting board to cool.  Some of the melted gooey-ness will ooze, however, I brush the top of the loaf with some before it hardens.

 

Now, go enjoy!