Grandma Dorothy's Waffle Bread

Ingredients

Yeast Mixture:

Ingredients to Add to Work Bowl:

Melted Butter to Brush on Top:

Brown Sugar and Cinnamon:

Optional Nuts:

Optional Glaze:

Instructions

  1. Butter two 8x8x2-inch square baking pans; set aside.
  2. In a small saucepan bring ¾ cup of milk to a simmer, stirring frequently. Remove milk from heat and set aside to cool.
  3. In a large work bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.
  4. Add cooled milk, ¼ cup sugar, salt, egg, ¼ cup butter, and 2 cups flour.
  5. Using a electric mixer or the paddle attachment for a stand mixer, beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
  6. Remove mixer or paddle attachments from bowl.
  7. Insert a dough hook into the stand mixer.
  8. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough. Dough will be soft and buttery, but not sticky to the touch.
  9. Grease a large bowl with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil.
  10. Place dough in bowl, turning to coat all sides with the oil.
  11. Cover the bowl with a slightly damp towel (flour sack towels are great for this).
  12. Let the dough rise in a warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk, about 1 to 1½ hours.
  13. To test the rise, poke 2 fingers about ½-inch deep into the dough. If the indentations stay after your fingers are removed the dough is ready.
  14. Punch down dough.
  15. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface.
  16. Knead dough for 30 seconds.
  17. Cover dough and let rest for 15 minutes.
  18. While the dough is resting mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside.
  19. Divide dough in half.
  20. Roll each piece into an 8-inch square.
  21. Cut the first square into eight 1-inch strips of dough.
  22. Get out the first prepared pan.
  23. Lay 4 strips of dough 1-inch apart in the bottom of the first pan.
  24. Weave the next 4 strips of dough across the first strips of dough, making sure they are also 1-inch apart and perpendicular to the 4 strips of dough on the bottom of the pan.
  25. Brush the strips generously with melted butter. If possible, gently lift the intersecting pieces of dough and brush butter in between.
  26. Sprinkle ½ of the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture over the first pan of dough. If possible, try to sprinkle the brown sugar mixture in between intersecting pieces of dough.
  27. Prepare the second pan of dough following the same steps as used for the first pan.
  28. If using ground walnuts, sprinkle half over the first pan of dough and the remainder over the other pan of dough.
  29. Cover with a dry towel and let rise for 30 minutes.
  30. Preheat oven to 375°.
  31. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until light golden brown.
  32. Turn out immediately onto an inverted platter, or serve from the pan.
  33. For sweeter waffle bread, drizzle with optional glaze just before serving.
  34. Serve warm.

Comments

Do Ahead Tip: After the second rise, cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake as directed above.

Waffle bread tastes very much like a cinnamon roll but it is far easier to assemble.

Note that the glaze is optional and makes the waffle bread sweeter and more like a cinnamon roll.

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