Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Makes 2 loaves

This dough is sprinkled with fragrant cinnamon sugar before rolling up, creating a swirl. Mixing raisins into the dough studs the entire loaf with plump, sweet fruit. Although the recipe calls for dark raisins, you could easily substitute dried currants or diced dried apricots or prunes.

Ingredients

  • 4 1/2 cups bread flour plus extra as needed
  • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 2 cups whole or low-fat milk, boiled and cooled to room temperature
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 cup dark raisins
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • Vegetable oil for greasing
  • Egg wash (1 large egg whisked with 2 tablespoons cold milk or water)
  • Cinnamon sugar (1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon mixed with 1/3 cup sugar)

Directions

  1. Combine the flour and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add the milk, butter, sugar, eggs, and salt and mix on low speed for 4 minutes. Increase the speed to medium and knead for 4 minutes. In the last minute of kneading add the raisins.
  2. In the last 30 seconds add the cinnamon, kneading just long enough to create a swirl. The dough should be slightly soft.
  3. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled in size, about 1 hour. Fold the dough over gently.
  4. Allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes before transferring it to a lightly floured work surface. Divide into 2 equal pieces and round each into a smooth ball, pulling the outer layer taut and pinching together the excess dough at the base of the ball. Place seam sides down on a lightly floured surface, cover, and let rest until relaxed, 15 to 20 minutes.
  5. Lightly grease two 9-inch loaf pans.
  6. On a lightly floured work surface, stretch each piece of dough into an even 12 x 8–inch rectangle. Brush the dough lightly with egg wash and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Fold each short end of the rectangle in about 1 inch. Roll the long top end of the dough toward the center and press the seam closed with your fingertips. Continue to roll the dough into a cylinder and seal the seam with the palm of your hand. Gently roll the cylinder back and forth until it is about 11 inches long and of even thickness.
  7. Place each cylinder of dough, seam side down, into a prepared loaf pan. Brush the loaf lightly with egg wash. Let the dough rise in a warm place, uncovered, until the dough fills the pan and springs back slowly to the touch but does not collapse, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
  8. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425°F.
  9. Gently brush the dough with egg wash again before baking. Bake until the loaves have a brown crust and the sides retain their structure when pressed, 25 to 30 minutes. Immediately remove the bread from the pans and let cool completely on wire racks before slicing and serving.

CIA FOODIES

Raisin Bread with a Cinnamon Swirl

Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Makes 2 loaves This dough is sprinkled with fragrant cinnamon sugar before rolling up, creating a swirl. Mixing raisins into the dough studs the entire loaf with plump, sweet fruit. Although the recipe calls for dark raisins, you could easily substitute dried currants or diced dried apricots or prunes.

Ingredients

  • 4 1/2 cups bread flour plus extra as needed
  • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 2 cups whole or low-fat milk, boiled and cooled to room temperature
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 cup dark raisins
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • Vegetable oil for greasing
  • Egg wash (1 large egg whisked with 2 tablespoons cold milk or water)
  • Cinnamon sugar (1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon mixed with 1/3 cup sugar)

Directions

  1. Combine the flour and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add the milk, butter, sugar, eggs, and salt and mix on low speed for 4 minutes. Increase the speed to medium and knead for 4 minutes. In the last minute of kneading add the raisins.
  2. In the last 30 seconds add the cinnamon, kneading just long enough to create a swirl. The dough should be slightly soft.
  3. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled in size, about 1 hour. Fold the dough over gently.
  4. Allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes before transferring it to a lightly floured work surface. Divide into 2 equal pieces and round each into a smooth ball, pulling the outer layer taut and pinching together the excess dough at the base of the ball. Place seam sides down on a lightly floured surface, cover, and let rest until relaxed, 15 to 20 minutes.
  5. Lightly grease two 9-inch loaf pans.
  6. On a lightly floured work surface, stretch each piece of dough into an even 12 x 8–inch rectangle. Brush the dough lightly with egg wash and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Fold each short end of the rectangle in about 1 inch. Roll the long top end of the dough toward the center and press the seam closed with your fingertips. Continue to roll the dough into a cylinder and seal the seam with the palm of your hand. Gently roll the cylinder back and forth until it is about 11 inches long and of even thickness.
  7. Place each cylinder of dough, seam side down, into a prepared loaf pan. Brush the loaf lightly with egg wash. Let the dough rise in a warm place, uncovered, until the dough fills the pan and springs back slowly to the touch but does not collapse, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
  8. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425°F.
  9. Gently brush the dough with egg wash again before baking. Bake until the loaves have a brown crust and the sides retain their structure when pressed, 25 to 30 minutes. Immediately remove the bread from the pans and let cool completely on wire racks before slicing and serving.

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