Dutch Sweet Bread - Fries Suikerbrood

Elena Butuc

This sweet bread is also known as Frisian Sugar Bread, named after the Friesland (or Frisia) region in Holland, where it's so popular. I thought the idea of nib sugar and cinnamon filling was brilliant, so I didn't hesitate at all and tried it.

The big advantage of the Dutch sweet bread is that it's a lot easier to make than the Romanian one. Lumps of sugar melt and form little pockets filled with flavourful and delicious caramel. The dough has a somewhat simpler texture, similar to bread texture - probably this is why it's called 'sugar bread'.

As I said, I thought it was a great idea to use lumps of sugar as filling. For an enhanced taste, I recommend brown sugar cubes. They are my favourites and I always have them in my kitchen.

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Ingredients

Metric US

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Milk

250 ml

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Active dry yeast

10 g

or 25g fresh yeast

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Sugar

1 tbsp

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Vanilla Extract

1 tbsp

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Salt

0.5 tsp

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Egg

1 piece

plus 1 egg for brushing the top

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Butter

50 g

softened, room temperature

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White flour

450 g

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Zahar cuburi

150 g

brown, preferably

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Cinnamon powder

1 tbsp

Step by step

Dutch Sweet Bread - Fries Suikerbrood - Step 1

Combine warm milk, 1 tbsp sugar and dried yeast in a large bowl.

Let stand for 10 minutes until the yeast is frothy.

Dutch Sweet Bread - Fries Suikerbrood - Step 2

After that, add vanilla extract, salt and 1 egg.

Dutch Sweet Bread - Fries Suikerbrood - Step 3

Then the softened butter, mix to combine with a spoon or a spatula.

Dutch Sweet Bread - Fries Suikerbrood - Step 4

Finally, mix the flour in.

Dutch Sweet Bread - Fries Suikerbrood - Step 5

Stir, at first with a spatula or a spoon, until the dough starts to come together.

Dutch Sweet Bread - Fries Suikerbrood - Step 6

Turn the dough out onto the work space and knead until smooth, soft and not sticky anymore.

Dutch Sweet Bread - Fries Suikerbrood - Step 7

Return dough to the bowl, cover with a towel and let rise for about 1 hour at room temperature.

Dutch Sweet Bread - Fries Suikerbrood - Step 8

Meanwhile, I suggest preparing the filling - crush the brown sugar cubes with a knife or a hammer (in which case wrap them in a towel).

Dutch Sweet Bread - Fries Suikerbrood - Step 9

Add 1 tbsp cinnamon and mix.

Dutch Sweet Bread - Fries Suikerbrood - Step 10

After the dough has risen, remove from the bowl and cut into 2 equal parts - for 2 smaller sugar breads.

If you have a large baking pan, don't cut and make a single loaf.

Dutch Sweet Bread - Fries Suikerbrood - Step 11

Roll out with your hands each piece of dough into a 25x30cm rectangle. Use also the lenght of the baking sheet as a reference point.

Dutch Sweet Bread - Fries Suikerbrood - Step 12

Sprinkle with the crushed sugar and cinnamon mixture, as much as you can.

Dutch Sweet Bread - Fries Suikerbrood - Step 13

Roll the sheet up into a sweet bread loaf.

Dutch Sweet Bread - Fries Suikerbrood - Step 14

Place the loaf into the parchment lined dish.

Dutch Sweet Bread - Fries Suikerbrood - Step 15

Repeat the procedure with the second loaf. Reserve some sugar cubes for a garnish. At the end, spread the sugar cubes over the top, you can have less than you see in the pictures.

Let rise for about 40-50 minutes at room temperature or until doubled in size.