Hot Cross Buns Meet Cinnamon Swirl Bread
 
 
Makes 2 9"x5" loaves
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 cup whole or two percent milk
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup dried currants
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest (see notes)
Filling and finish:
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • ⅔ cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 egg white, beaten with a little warm water
Glaze:
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon whole or two percent milk
Instructions
Make the dough:
  1. In a small sauce pan, melt the butter over low heat. Stir in the milk and granulated sugar, and heat until warm but not boiling. Pour into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and add yeast. Let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes.
  2. In another bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and salt. Add to the milk mixture along with the eggs, currants and orange zest, stirring everything until it comes together to form a shaggy ball. Then knead the dough by hand (or with a dough hook attachment) until it's smooth and elastic - this will take about 10 minutes (less if using a stand mixer). Shape dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let it rise until doubled, 1-2 hours.
Make the filling:
  1. In a small bowl, stir together the softened butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.
Shape and bake the loaves:
  1. Butter two 9"x5" loaf pans. Dump the dough onto a floured work surface and divide in half.
  2. Roll out each half into a 9" square. Smear each square with half of the filling. Roll up dough, pinch the seam to seal and place seam side down in the prepared pans. Let rise until loaves have doubled in size, 1-2 hours.
  3. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Brush loaves with egg wash. Bake until loaves are golden brown, about 35 minutes. Turn out onto racks and let cool completely.
Make the glaze:
  1. In a small bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk. Drizzle the glaze over the tops of the cooled loaves.
Notes
You can use any type of citrus zest you'd like; I used grapefruit zest and the bread was delicious.
Recipe by Two of a Kind at http://www.twoofakindcooks.com/hot-cross-buns-meet-cinnamon-swirl-bread/