Cinnamon-Vanilla Bread and Tahitian Vanilla Bean Whipped Butter

adapted from The Pioneer Woman

1 cup milk
9 Tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2.5 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 whole eggs (plus egg for egg wash, see below)
2/3 cup sugar, divided
3.5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
beans from one whole Tahitian vanilla bean
egg and milk whisked together for egg wash
extra softened butter for pan

1. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter with the milk. Heat until hot but not boiling. Remove from heat and cool until still slightly warm. Sprinkle yeast over the top, stir once and set aside for ten minutes.
2. In a separate bowl, mix together flour and salt.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine 1/3 cup sugar and eggs using a paddle attachment. (I don’t have a stand mixer so I used a spoon and then kneaded by hand. I’d suggest the stand mixer if you have one.) Pour in milk mixture and combine. Add half of the flour and continue to beat on medium speed until moistened. Add the rest of the flour and beat until combined.
4. Remove paddle attachment and switch to dough hook. (Or if you’re an unfortunate sucker like me, dump it onto the counter and knead until you lose your mind. Or ten-ish minutes.) Knead dough on medium speed for ten minutes, adding 1/4 cup of flour if necessary, kneading for five more minutes.
5. Heat an empty glass bowl in the microwave for about 15-30 seconds just so it is warm. Pour in a little bit of canola or vegetable oil and toss the tough in the oil so it has a thin coating. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm place for two hours or more.
6. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine cinnamon, 1/3 cup of sugar and pulp of the vanilla bean (you may need to use a fork or small whisk to break up vanilla bean pulp. Add in 3 tablespoons of cold butter. Using a fork, work together this mixture together until the butter is in pea-size pieces.
7. On a floured or oiled work surface (I used oil), roll dough into a rectangle the width of your loaf pan and 18-24 inches long.
8. Evenly spread butter/sugar/cinnamon/vanilla mixture over rolled out dough. Starting at the far end, roll up dough, keeping it as tight as possible. Pinch seam to create a seal.
9. Coat the loaf pan in softened butter and place roll, seam side down, in the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for two more hours.
10. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
11. Create an egg wash by mixing an egg with a little bit (1-2 T) of milk and brush over the top of the loaf. Bake for 40 minutes on the middle or lower rack of your oven.
12. Remove from pan and cool. I recommend toasting slices of this bread and covering with a good helping of this cinnamon butter.

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
the pulp of one whole Tahitian Vanilla Bean
pinch of salt
3 Tablespoons powdered sugar

1. Whip all ingredients together using an electric beater or a whisk. Store in refrigerator but serve at room temp.