Cinnamon Bread

The weather yesterday was gloomy.... cold, a bit windy and overcast. Couple of drops fell, but no rain. It was the perfect stay indoors and snuggle up in front of the tv... with popcorn or pancakes... 
But pancakes - bless it, I absolutely love it - is a lot of work!! And it gets eaten so quickly... 
So I began to think if there isn't something a little less work with just as much feel-good satisfaction that the pancakes give, that I can make... and then I remembered Hot Cross Buns! 
I searched the Internet for recipes, and I found a couple, but not one seemed simple or straightforward. So I used their direction, and made my own. Since I used their direction and ideas, I have to give credit: please have a look at Nigella Lawson and Allrecipes.

Preparation Time: 30 min
Baking Time: +- 1 hour
Difficulty level: Easy
Serves: 6+

Ingredients:

6cups bread flour
2 packets 10g instant yeast
3t fine cinnamon
1 1/2t fine ginger
1/4t freshly grated nutmeg
1cup mixed raisins (cake mix)
1t salt
2cups brown sugar
2 cups milk
2cups water
100g butter
1 cinnomon stick
5 whole cloves
Zest of one orange
3 eggs

Method

Pour milk and water and butter in a saucepan. Add the cinnamon stick, cloves and zest. Boil for 10min. Leave to cool a bit. 

Mix the dry ingredients together.

Beat the eggs well. Once the milk mixture has cooled a bit, add the egg while whisking briskly. Pour the milk mixture through a sieve into the flour mixture and mix well. It should be a sticky mixture. 

Cover and let it rise in a warm place to double in size. Mix down. Spray a large bread pan very well with non-stick spray. Pour the mixture into the pan and cover. Let it rise again in a warm place. Bake in an oven at 160degrees C for about an hour, until the testing pin comes out clean. 

Enjoy hot with butter!!

As you can see, my bread pan was way too small!! It actually poured over the edges... But it was absolutely beautifully delicious... 

Yours in oil and veggies

Risch