BBA Challenge - Ciabatta, Cinnamon Buns & Sticky Buns, and Cinnamon Raisin Walnut Bread

My next installment on the breads of Peter Reinhart's Bread Baker's Apprentice.

Ciabatta, Poolish Version

This bread is made from a very slack, wet dough and is quite airy.  This recipe takes two days to make, day one for a "poolish," and day two for the final dough. It involves the stretch-and-fold method to develop the dough.

While this bread was wonderful, I had already baked with greater success Peter's recipe from his later book Artisan Breads Every Day. In that book, he continued to improve his techniques. So... this bread is good, but the later recipe is better.

Google BBA Challenge #7 to see other bakers' experiences.

Cinnamon Buns and Sticky Buns

This dough is wonderful. You can use it for both cinnamon buns and sticky buns. The cinnamon buns are baked and then topped with a fondant glaze. The sticky buns are baked in a mixture that creates a caramel glaze with nuts and raisins that top the buns once you turn the whole pan upside down. These were very easy to make and take only a few hours (mostly just waiting for the dough to rise). I divided my dough in half to make both.

My recommendation... go with the sticky buns. The caramel glaze worked beautifully. I was not as happy with the glaze for the cinnamon buns. Still, both are great, and I would definitely make them both again. Google BBA Challenge #8 to see other bakers' experiences.

Cinnamon Raisin Walnut Bread 

.... without the walnuts

This bread is so good. This will be my "go to" cinnamon raisin bread recipe. I left out the walnuts, added the optional cinnamon swirl, and cut the amount of cinnamon sugar in the swirl by one half the recommended amount in the recipe. Make this bread.

 Google BBA Challenge #9 to see other bakers' experiences.