Cinnamon Swirl Loaf

Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• 7 -7 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 (1/4 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Recipe

• 1 in large mixer bowl combine 3 1/2 cups of the flour and the yeast.
• 2 in saucepan heat milk, 1/2 cup sugar, shortening, and salt just till warm (115-120°), stirring constantly to melt shortening. add to dry mixture in mixer bowl; add eggs. beat at low speed with electric mixer for 1/2 minute, scraping sides of bowl constantly. beat 3 minutes at high speed.
• 3 by hand, stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough. turn out on lightly floured surface and knead till smooth and elastic (5 to 8 minutes). shape into a ball. place in lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface.
• 4 cover; let rise in warm place till double (about 1 hour). punch dough down; turn out on lightly floured surface. divide in half. cover, let rest 10 minutes. roll each half into a 15 x 7-inch rectangle. brush entire surface with water.
• 5 combine the 1/2 cup sugar and the ground cinnamon. spread each rectangle with half the sugar-cinnamon mixture. roll dough up as for jelly-roll, beginning with narrow side. seal long edge and ends. place, sealed edge down, in 2 greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pans. cover and let rise in warm place till almost double (35 to 45 minutes).
• 6 bake at 375° till done, 35-45 minutes. (if crust browns too quickly, cover with foil last 15 minutes of baking.) remove bread from pans and cool on wire racks.