cinnamon pull-apart bread {winner!!}

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Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread from Beckie:

Ingredients:

2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 package active dry year (2 1/4 tsp)
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 heaping tsp. baking powder
1/2 scant tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar
Cinnamon

Glaze:

8 oz. powdered sugar
4 T melted butter
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Enough milk to make a glaze to desired consistency

Instructions:
In a large (at least 4-quart) pot or saucepan, combine milk, sugar and oil. Heat just to boiling, stirring occasionally, and then remove from heat. If you've got lots of ice handy, dump all that you have into a clean sink and then place the pan of scalded milk over the ice. This way, the milk mixture cools quickly and the melted ice just drips down the drain.

When the milk has cooled to around 105-115 degrees, remove from ice and sprinkle yeast over the milk mixture. Allow to stand for 5-10 minutes. Stir. Mix in 4 c. flour and cover. This can be done with a wooden spoon; the dough is VERY soft, more like a batter. Allow to stand for 1 hour.

Mix remaining 1/2 cup flour with baking soda, baking powder and salt. Sprinkle over the dough and then mix it in with the wooden spoon. Place a sheet of plastic wrap over the pan and refrigerate for at least a few hours and up to 24 hours.

Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan and set it aside.

When you're ready to use the dough, turn it onto a lightly floured surface.

Roll the dough out into a rectangle about 18 inches wide by 9 inches tall. Spread with 6 T of melted butter or softened butter. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup sugar and an even sprinkling of cinnamon.

Using a pizza wheel, cut the dough into six 3" strips. Stack the strips 3 strips high (so you have 2 piles). Cut each of the stacks into three 3" squares. Place the squares, cut side up (not the flat, sugared side) into prepared pan, being careful not to stuff too much dough into the pan. Any leftover dough can be baked in mini pans or muffin tins.

Melt 2 T of butter and drizzle over the loaf. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Cover and allow to rise for 30 minutes.

While the loaf is rising, preheat oven to 350.

Bake for 25-35 minutes (or until baked through). If you don't want your fire alarm to go off, place a baking sheet on the rack below the loaf pan. If the loaf is getting too brown on top, lightly place a sheet of aluminum foil over the loaf while it finishes baking.

Remove from oven and cool completely.

Whisk together glaze ingredients until smooth and desired consistency is reached. Place the glaze in a Ziploc bag and snip a small corner off the bag. Drizzle over the loaf.

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