This quick and easy sourdough discard cinnamon swirl bread is soft, subtly sweet, and extremely delicious! You can have this bread ready in only 2-3 hours and you won't be able to get enough of it!
1beaten egg whitefor egg wash before adding the cinnamon-sugar mix.
¼cupsugar
2teaspoonsground cinnamon
Instructions
Prep the yeast
Add the yeast and warm water (110-120 degrees Fahrenheit) to the bowl of a stand mixer or mixing bowl. Add the sugar to increase the activity of the yeast and mix together with a fork.
Once your yeast has been proofed, add the butter and starter. Mix until barely combined (the butter will be clumpy).
Make the dough
Once your yeast has been proofed, add the butter and starter. Mix until barely combined (the butter will be clumpy)
Next, add roughly half of your dry ingredients and mix on low speed with your stand mixer (or by hand).
Slowly add in the remainder of the flour. (sometimes I just dump all of the ingredients in at once after the yeast is ready and it always turns out fine)
Knead the dough
Continue to let the stand mixer knead the dough for 10 minutes or so (or knead by hand on a floured surface). A good way to test if the gluten has developed enough is by doing the windowpane test (This is essentially just taking some of the dough and stretching it with your fingers until it is thin enough that you could see the shadows of your fingers through it when it is held up to a light. If it breaks, in the process, you should knead it more.) When in doubt, knead a little more. Don’t worry about over-kneading!
Rest
Let the dough rest for an hour in the bowl you used to mix it. This will allow the gluten to develop so that we can easily shape it into a loaf. It will likely double in size in this amount of time depending on the temperature in your home.
Shape and let rise
After the dough has rested, remove it from the bowl and onto a floured surface. Flatten the dough out into a rectangle (the shortest side should be roughly 9 inches or the length of your loaf pan). Brush the dough with the egg white wash and sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Next, roll it into a log and pinch the seams and place the dough in a buttered loaf pan. Cover with cling wrap and allow to rise until doubled in size or when the top of the log is well above the edge of the loaf pan.
Bake the bread at 375F for 25-30 minutes until the bread is golden brown and the bottom of the loaf is firm to the touch and slightly golden.
Immediately brush the bread with butter and allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer it to a cooling rack. Allow it to cool fully before cutting for the best results!
Notes
Breads that contain sourdough have a tendency to split on the sides while baking. To avoid this, try scoring the top of the dough with a sharp knife or razor to create a more uniform split.
This bread lasts at room temperature for 5-7 days.