This beautiful spicy bread was inspired by my neighbor Darren. We were chatting in the warm summer Arizona air one evening and he was reminiscing about his days growing up in Connecticut and about bread his family used to use when making French toast. The sparkle in his eyes warmed my heart and I simply had to develop a recipe and surprise him with a loaf. After a bit of research and a few new ideas, here is the end product. I only have one photo—I wanted to slice it quickly and deliver it to him and his family while still warm. Thanks for the muse Darren!  I hear it never made its way into the morning 🙂 Maybe the next loaf?

The crumb is moist and deliciously light and is a perfect eating and French toast bread as well. It’s spicy and plenty sweet—truly scrumptious! Paired alongside a summer salad of fresh greens, juicy sliced pears and Gorgonzola cheese—delectable!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup milk, warmed (I put it in the microwave for 30 seconds)

2 Tbsp yeast

2 tsp maple syrup

1/4 cup brown sugar

3 Tbsp melted butter

2 tsp vanilla

3 Tbsp maple syrup

1 egg

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cups whole wheat flour

2 1/4 cups white flour

Directions:

In a small bowl, stir together milk, yeast and 2 tsp maple syrup. Let proof (stand) for five minutes. Then combine with sugar, butter, vanilla, 3 Tbsp maple syrup, egg and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Slowly mix in flour and then knead by hand for about 15 minutes or in a mixer for 10 minutes. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. **I use my bread machine for mixing and first rise.

Cinnamon Spin Filling

1/2 cup maple sugar or brown sugar

1 Tbsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cardamom

1/8 tsp fresh ground nutmeg

Roll out dough into a long rectangle. The shorter side should be the same length as your bread pan. Spread filling over dough. Roll up dough, starting at each side and rolling towards the middle.

Place dough in greased bread pan, seam side up. Cover and let rise for 45-60 minutes. Brush the top with melted butter and sprinkle with additional maple or brown sugar. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 45 minutes until lightly browned. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and allow bread to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.