Resurrecting an interest in breads and baking this is the second yeast bread dough that has seen some action in the kitchen the past few weeks. It is adapted from the book entitled Bread by Joan Wiener and Diana Collier, from the 1973 edition.
The single batch of dough yields two medium loaves or one medium loaf and four mini loaves. This bread is similar to most of the cinnamon raisin breads you will find in stores today, and slightly larger than the typical, and great toasted with some butter, or even cream cheese smeared on top. Of course, plain is just as wonderful too, with the dark and golden raisins, cinnamon, and sugar spiraled loaf; any slice is just plain goodness.
| Ingredients | ||
| 1 ½ | Cups | Milk, warmed to 110° F. |
| ½ | Cup | Butter |
| ½ | Cup | Water, warmed to 110° F. |
| 2 | Pkg | Active dry yeast, (2 Tbsp.) |
| ¼ | Cup | Soy flour |
| ¼ | Cup | Wheat germ |
| 1 | Cup | Whole wheat flour |
| 6 | Cups | Unbleached, All-purpose white flour (approximate, divided) |
| ¼ | Cup | Light brown sugar |
| 2 | Tsp | Salt |
| ¾ | Cup | Golden raisins |
| ¾ | Cup | Dark raisins |
| 3 | Lg | Eggs, lightly beaten |
| ¾ | Cup | Sugar |
| 1 | Tbsp | Cinnamon |
| ½ | Cup | Pecans, walnuts, or other nuts, chopped |
| ¼ | Cup | Butter, melted |
| Procedure Steps | |
| 1. | In a saucepan or microwavable safe bowl warm the milk and butter until 110° F |
| 2. | In a separate small mixing bowl warm the water to 110° F., then stir in the active dry yeast, and allow it to sit for 5 minutes or so to get the yeast activated. |
| 3. | In a separate bowl of an electric mixer, combine the soy flour, wheat germ, and whole-wheat flour, 3 cups of the unbleached all-purpose white flour, light brown sugar, salt, and both raisins. Stir to mix well. |
| 4. | Combine the milk/butter mixture with the lightly beaten eggs, and then combine this with the yeast mixture. |
| 5. | Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and use a dough hook on medium speed of the electric mixer, beating until smooth. Add 1 cup at a time of the all-purpose flour until the dough forms a ball and releases from the sides of the bowl. |
| 6. | Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 5-10 minutes. Grease a large bowl and add dough to bowl, turning so the dough is well greased. Place in a warm (100° F) draft free place until doubled in size, or about an hour or so. Meanwhile combine the ¾-cup sugar with the 1 tbsp cinnamon, and chopped nuts if desired. |
| 7. | Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and divide into two equal portions of dough that will weight about 2 pounds each. Roll each piece of dough in turn into long rectangle shapes the width of the size of the pan length, and then sprinkle the top evenly with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Roll up the dough jellyroll style and pinch the seams and ends together to form a smooth loaf. Then place the dough, seam side down in a well greased medium-sized loaf pan. Repeat the same for the other piece of dough. |
| 8. | Brush the tops and exposed sides of the dough with the melted butter, then place back in the a warm (100° F) draft free place until doubled in bulk or about an inch from the top of the pan, or about an hour or so. |
| 9 | Preheat oven to 375° F, and brush the raised loaves again with more melted butter, then sprinkle more of the cinnamon sugar on top. Bake in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until they sound hollow when thumped on the bottom of the pan. Cool in the pans on a wire rack for about 10 minutes, then remove from the pans and allow cooling completely before cutting. |
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| Proofed raisin bread dough | Butter wash with sugar & spice |
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| Ready for baking | Cooling on the rack |
17 responses so far ↓
1 Estela @ Weekly Bite // Mar 9, 2010 at 1:54 pm
This looks delicious! To me… nothing is better than homemade bread 🙂
2 Gera @ SweetsFoodsBlog // Mar 9, 2010 at 2:03 pm
Raisin bread is one of my favorite for breakfast and with cream cheese is wonderful 🙂
Your recipe is gorgeous!
Cheers,
Gera
3 Beth // Mar 9, 2010 at 2:50 pm
Awesome!! Raisin bread makes the best toast too.
Another keeper recipe. Can’t wait to get my KitchenAid mixer.
4 Sook @ My Fabulous Recipes // Mar 9, 2010 at 4:16 pm
The raisin bread looks perfect! Love the shape, too.
5 Ingeborg // Mar 9, 2010 at 7:43 pm
Delicous looking raisin bread. I made some raisin bread two weeks ago. I didn’t eat any of it. My husband Iain enjoys it and I froze some of it.
6 HoneyB // Mar 9, 2010 at 7:56 pm
The loaves are gorgeous! I love this kind of bread toasted and slathered with butter! I know the butter makes it not so healthy, but I really love it that way! LOL.
7 pegasuslegend // Mar 9, 2010 at 8:03 pm
ok, your forgiven that I havent seen you in a few days post this is over the top fabulous, my mouth isnt only watering I am down right jealous of this gorgeous bread! man just when you think your good you see one much better love this so much xxxxoooo
8 Jessie // Mar 9, 2010 at 9:19 pm
this is absolutely one of my favorite breads! I just love your recipe too. Definitely bookmarking this one. I have a bread machine now, so this is something I will be making soon! :-p
9 Shree B. // Mar 9, 2010 at 11:07 pm
What a coincidence! I’m baking raisin bread tomorrow 🙂
10 Erica | Brochures Printing // Mar 9, 2010 at 11:33 pm
I’m not really a big fan of raisins but my aunt totally love that. I used to lived with her and raisin bread is always our snack, Although it didn’t grow on me, but atleast I was able to taste it sometimes. Not as bad as I used to think about it, maybe raisins is really not for me.
11 Cooking Rookie // Mar 10, 2010 at 12:49 am
Simply beautiful loaves!
12 redkathy // Mar 10, 2010 at 9:17 am
Beautiful bread! I’ll bet the aroma was wonderful. I adore baking bread; a most comforting and rewarding baking item.
13 Brad // Mar 10, 2010 at 11:59 am
Yum would be great toasted for breakfast with fresh honey butter
14 5 Star Foodie // Mar 10, 2010 at 3:25 pm
Gorgeous loaves! I would love to have a slice of this delicious raisin bread right now!
15 Cajun Chef Ryan // Mar 10, 2010 at 6:09 pm
So glad to get such a great response on this one, in fact one of the images in this post was selected and featured on Food Gawker, Tastespooting, and Dessert Stalking.
Very excited!
CCR
=:~)
16 pegasuslegend // Mar 10, 2010 at 6:43 pm
Wow foodgawker thats awesome congrats!!!!!!!!!! and so well deserved~
17 Roti n Rice // Mar 10, 2010 at 10:48 pm
This loaves look wonderful! Raisin bread is delicious warm with a little butter. I did see them on TasteSpotting!