Kalacs (Hungarian Cinnamon Swirl Bread)

My husband's aunt passed along this super-easy recipe for this Hungarian sweet bread, and I made a couple of revisions to my family's taste. Cinnamon, poppy seed, or walnuts are a traditional filling. Her recipe is for cinnamon, but one of my favorite ways is to break from tradition and use a cocoa/sugar/butter/vanilla mixture. It's delicious, especially when the leftovers are toasted and buttered!

• Preparation Time: 25 mins
• Cooking Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 55 mins
• Calories: 198 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup white sugar
• ¼ cup melted butter
• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• 1 (.25 ounce) envelope active dry yeast
• 1 ¼ cups warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• melted butter for brushing

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

Place flour, white sugar, salt, and yeast into the bowl of a stand mixer. In a bowl, whisk together egg, melted butter, warm milk, and vanilla extract; pour into the flour mixture. Using dough hook attachment, mix on low until the flour is moistened and a dough forms, then increase speed to medium, and continue kneading until smooth and elastic, 4 to 5 minutes.

Step 3

Place dough into a greased bowl, cover, and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.

Step 4

Punch down dough, turn out onto a floured work surface, and divide into 2 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 1/3 inch thick rectangle. Brush each square with melted butter. Mix together cinnamon and brown sugar in a small bowl, then sprinkle evenly over the two rectangles.

Step 5

Roll each firmly into a log, pinch the ends closed, and tuck them underneath. Place each into a greased, glass loaf pan. Cover, and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.

Step 6

Brush the tops of the loaves with melted butter, then bake in preheated oven until loaves are golden brown, and sound hollow when tapped, about 30 minutes.