Vanilla Swirl and/or Coconut Swirl Bread

I found this recipe (for the Vanilla Swirl) a while back and right away made some vanilla sugar (recipe here) since I had a few vanilla beans hanging around. Vanilla beans are awesomeness beans.  I love them.  So fast forward a few (ahem, 7 months...) and I am FINALLY getting to this bread.  No, it doesn't take 7 months to make vanilla sugar, I just have finally found the time to make this bread, and it is wonderful.  It is sweet, and soft, and perfect. It is cheaper to make your own vanilla sugar, but it takes a week to soak in the vanilla flavor.  You can find vanilla sugar if you don't want to make it!

And then I had the thought.....what if I added a coconut filling!? My best friend makes these buns with a coconut filling, and they are my ABSOLUTE favorite in the whole wide world.  So I gave it a shot.  The result. Perfection.  It is buttery and sweet, and oh so coconuty.  I'm a fan. This bread's base is a blue ribboner! And I am finding, so versatile!  I bet it would be good with a cinnamon swirl too!

   

found here

Ingredients: 
3 1/2 – 4 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup vanilla sugar (or plain sugar, for less cost)
2 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry or instant yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
1/2 cup  hot water
1/2 cup  milk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla (double if using plain sugar)

Vanilla Swirl filling:
2 tbsp Milk
1/2 cup Vanilla sugar

Coconut Filling:
1 cup unsweetend Coconut
1 large Egg Yolk
2 Tbsp melted butter
5 tbsp brown sugar

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a standing mixer with the dough hook attached, combine 3 1/2 cups of the flour with the sugar, yeast, and salt.

2. In a small bowl, combine the butter pieces and the hot water. Stir until the butter is completely melted, then stir in the milk. Whisk the eggs into the mixture and stir in the vanilla extract.

3. Turn the mixer on low and add the egg mixture. Increase the speed to medium low and continue mixing until a dough forms.

4. Once the dough comes together, scrape the bowl, increase the speed to medium high, and knead for 10 minutes, or until the dough just sticks to the bottom center of the bowl and the dough is smooth and elastic. If is still very sticky after 5 minutes, add more flour, a little at a time, until the dough is less sticky.

5. Spray a medium bowl with non stick spray and transfer the dough to the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise until doubled (1 1/2 to 2 hours).

6. Once the dough has doubled in size, punch down the center of the dough and allow it to rest for 10 minutes (at this point, you can refrigerate the dough, covered, overnight).

7. Turn the rested bread dough out onto a counter top and flatten into a 12″ by 18″ rectangle. For Vanilla swirl: Brush the dough with milk, leaving a 1 inch border around the outside edge. Sprinkle all of the  vanilla sugar on the dough. Tightly roll the dough into a loaf shape, pinch the seam closed, and place seam side down in a 9″ x 4″ loaf pan. Cover with a clean dry towel and allow to double in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

For Coconut Swirl: combine ingredients, spread on dough leaving 1 inch boarder around the outside edge. Tightly roll the dough into a loaf shape, pinch the seam closed, and place seam side down in a 9″ x 4″ loaf pan. Cover with a clean dry towel and allow to double in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

8. Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Once the dough has risen, bake for 30-40 minutes or until the bread reaches 190 degrees inside. Allow to cool completely on a wire cooling rack before serving.

Don't want to make Vanilla sugar, or need some beans?  Here's a link to make it easy on ya! And the best part is, free shipping on the Vanilla beans!!