There's something about baking bread that is profoundly satisfying. Perhaps it's the complete transformation of the raw materials, which move from powder to muck to goo to dough and then to a delicious loaf that fills the room with a smell that can't possibly be duplicated by an air freshener or scented candle.
No, there's no smell in the world like freshly baked bread.
And after I shelled out $5 for a mini loaf of cinnamon bread at the farmer's market on Saturday, I remembered just how much cheaper it is to make it myself...
So away to the kitchen I went!
Well, away to the computer I went to find the perfect recipe...
But everything was too fussy, or didn't look right, or called for ingredients I didn't have (dry milk powder? Really?)...
And then I remembered!
I used the white bread recipe with the alteration for cinnamon swirl, only I omitted the raisins, kneaded in some cinnamon chips, and brushed the top with butter, topping it with cinnamon and sugar before it went into the oven.
And behold!
An $8 loaf of bread for a fraction of the price, and without even leaving the house!
"Wait two hours before cutting, allowing bread to reach room temperature."
Ha. As if I could resist warm bread fresh from the oven?
And there you have it - the crispy sugary crust, the buttery cinnamon swirl, dotted with cinnamon chips and warm from the oven. Who needs grocery store bread?
Well, the kids do. Because I'm not sharing.
Linking up with Cari at Clan Donaldson for Theme Thursday - I'm so excited to see what everyone else is cooking up!
Love it - "the kids do" - made me laugh out loud.
ReplyDeleteThey don't fully appreciate the good stuff! I make them eat fiber bread that I would never touch :P
DeleteWe bake a lot of bread at this house. We scoffed at the dry milk powder too until one day we tried it... it makes a difference in the squish factor. Now I will need to make cinnamon loaf because well it just looks good.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh. I am absolutely going to make this.
ReplyDeleteSoooo good! And everybody raves about that book. I need to do my kids a favor and check it out!
ReplyDeleteOooh, that looks yummy!! "the kids do" - LOL! Awesome. (Okay, now I have to make bagels and cinnamon bread today. I wonder what else I'll add to the list as I look through everyone's linkups? :-) )
ReplyDeleteI know, it's all making me hungry!
DeleteI can practically smell it!!
ReplyDeleteThat looks yummy! Incidentally, spilling a can of beer in the back of your car, might possibly cause your vehicle to smell like fresh baked bread on a warm, sunny day. Not gonna say how I know that, though! ;)
ReplyDeleteHahaha! How did an open can even get IN there? Hopefully it wasn't anything worth drinking ;)
DeleteThat looks like it would be great with a cup of coffee. I swear I can smell it now. =)
ReplyDeleteI'm tempted to go eat a second piece with coffee right now...
DeleteDrooling. I bake our bread but it never ever turns out that great. I'm not showing this to my crew or they may revolt.
ReplyDeleteYours is probably healthier, though! I usually try to sneak in some whole wheat flour but I went aaaaaall white bread flour this time!
DeleteI almost always have dry milk in the house. Cooking with actual milk costs waaaaaay more and tastes just the same. Besides, you know that my pumpkin pie requires dry milk. (Not that you ever eat pumpkin pie anyway, you weirdo!)
ReplyDeleteBut anyway, that bread sounds terrific!!!
Looks amaaaazing. Drool. I've been meaning to make English muffin bread for like a week, maybe this will motivate me. (I mean, you'd think English muffin bread would be motivation enough on its own, right?) The instructions for it specifically say something like "do NOT cut this while still warm or you will literally ruin the bread," so I don't know what its fate will be!
ReplyDeleteWill try this..so yummy!
ReplyDeleteExactly! Now I just need the time to do it. This bread looks amazing to my hungry stomach. I'd hide it too :)
ReplyDeleteOh. Oh yum.
ReplyDeleteI just got me a bread machine the other day. I love it like I shouldn't love a machine.
I am SO impressed! You go mama!
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