Estonian Kringel – Braided Cinnamon Bread

I really like all kinds of cinnamon pastries, but the Estonian Kringel is my favorite! A crispy sweet crust from the outside and soft, melting in your mouth dough with an incredible taste of cinnamon inside. It seems that it is not possible to surprise anyone with cinnamon pastries, but this Braided Cinnamon Bread looks so unusual and tastes so amazing that you can serve it for a family dinner or for a festive table.

Let’s make it!

Ingredients:

For the dough:

1/2 cup (4 fl oz, 125ml) lukewarm milk
1 packet active dry yeast (1/4oz, 7g)
2 Tbsp sugar
1 egg yolk (room temperature)
1/4 stick (1oz, 30g) melted butter
1/4 tsp salt

For the filling:

1/2 stick (2oz, 60g) softened butter
4 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Cooking Directions:

Mix the lukewarm milk with the yeast and sugar and leave it for 10 minutes to activate. You will see bubbles on the top.
Place the milk with yeast, melted and cooled butter, the egg yolk into a stand mixer bowl. Add sifted flour and salt. Mix with a spatula to combine.
Knead the dough using the dough hook for 8-10 minutes.
Shape the dough into a ball and place it into a lightly greased bowl. Cover it with cling-film and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 1,5-2 hours).
Preheat the oven to 375F (about 190°C ).
Mix together the softened butter with sugar and cinnamon for the filling. It will look like paste.
Dust the work surface with flour, and roll the dough out to a rectangle of about 8×12 inches (20×30 cm) and 1/2 inch (about 1 cm) thick.
Spread about 3/4 of the cinnamon paste on the top, leaving the rest for brushing after the bread is formed.
Roll up the dough, and using a knife, cut the roll in a half length-wise, leaving one edge not cut for a couple of inches.
Twist the two halves together. Give it a round shape, then transfer to a baking sheet covered with a silicone baking mat.
Brush with the remaining cinnamon/butter mixture on the top.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown.