Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Adapted from The Bread Bible
Dough Starter
- 2 1/4 cups Bread Flour*
- 1 3/4 cup Water
- 2 tbs + 1 tsp Honey
- 1 tsp Yeast
Flour Mixture
- 2 1/4 cup white whole wheat flour**
- 1/4 cup Nonfat Dry Milk
- 1 tsp Yeast
Remaining Dough Ingredients
- 9 tbs Butter
- 2 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1 cup Raisins
Cinnamon Filling
- 1 lightly beaten Egg
- 2 tbs Sugar
- 1 tbs Cinnamon
* I strongly recommend using bread flour. However, if you prefer, you can use all-purpose flour and add 2 tbs gluten flour.
** This is available in my local King Soopers but if your grocery story doesn't carry it, a natural foods store probably will. In a pinch, 1 cup whole wheat flour plus 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour would probably work but won't be as nutritious.
Note: This bread takes at least 6 hours to make from scratch. However, you can break this up into a multi-day procedure. At any point the recipe says to let the dough sit for an hour or more you can securely cover it with plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge for 8-24 hrs. If you refrigerate the dough, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before proceeding with whatever the next step is.
Proof 1 tsp yeast with water and honey. When bubbly, add the bread flour and mix for about 2 minutes or until very smooth. In another bowl, mix together white whole wheat flour, dry milk, and 1 tsp yeast. Sprinkle on top of the web mixture and securely cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for at least 1 hour.
Add butter to the bowl and in an electric mixer, mix on low speeding for around 1 minute or until flour is moist. Cover with plastic wrap again and let dough rest for 20 minutes. Sprinkle salt on top of dough and kneed on medium speed for 7-10 minutes. When you start, the dough will look too wet but after a full 10 minutes, it'll usually form into a slightly tacky ball. If it's still too wet, add a little flour at a time until the consistency is right. However, make sure you don't get the dough too dry. Slighter wet dough is better than too dry of a dough. Add the raisins and mix on low speed for about 2 minutes. You don't need to worry about the raisins combining evenly as the later steps will mix any uneven distribution.
Turn it out on a floured counter and kneed it a couple of times and then form into a ball. Place into an oiled bowl and cover the surface. Let rise until double (1 1/2 to 2 hrs). Pour the dough back onto the floured counter and give it a couple of gentle kneads. Shape it back into a bowl and put back into the raising container. Put it in the fridge and chill for at least 1 hour (no more than 24 hrs).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees for at least 1 hour. Meanwhile, beat together an egg and in another bowl, mix together the cinnamon and sugar. Take the dough out of the fridge and divide in half. Put 1/2 of the dough back in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Roll out the other half of the dough into a 7 1/2" X 14" rectangle. Brush with beaten egg mixture and then sprinkle half of the sugar mixture on top of the dough. Starting at the small side, tightly roll the dough into a jelly roll. Oil a bread pan and place rolled up dough in pan. Cover with plastic wrap. Repeat for second half of dough. Let dough raise till double (about 1 hr).
Put the bread in the oven and bake for about 50 minutes or until the bread is done. When finished baking, remove bread from oven and let sit for 5 minutes. If desired, brush the top of the bread with melted butter. Finish cooling the bread on wire racks. Don't cut the bread until it has been completely cooled (about 1 hour).
Brief Nutritional Information
Servings Per Recipe: 2 Loaves (12 slices each)
10% of calories from protein
63% of calories from carbs
27% of calories from fat
| Calories | 158 |
| Total Fat | 5 g |
| Saturated Fat | 3 g |
| Trans Fat | 0 g |
| Cholesterol | 17 mg |
| Sodium | 256 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 25 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 8 g |
| Protein | 4 g |
For more nutritional information, see NutritionData (scroll below the recipe).
