Source:The Professional Pastry Chef by Bo Friberg. Third Ed.
Makes 16 servings.
Preparation time: 3 hours
Tips: Try thick slices toasted or to make French Toast.
Raisin Bread
Sweet breakfast Toast
Ingredients
Preparation
Melted unsalted butter, to grease pan
1 cup warm milk (105-115F)
3 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup honey (3 ounces )
12 ounces bread flour (about 3 cups unsifted), approximately
1 ounce soft unsalted butter (2 Tbs.)
6 ounces dark raisins (1 cup packed), see note 1
3 ounces walnut pieces, sunflower seeds, etc., see note 2
Egg wash (whole egg or yolk + pinch salt)
5 tablespoons cinnamon sugar (1:4 ratio) , see note 3
1. Butter the inside of one bread loaf 9x5x3-inches, or two (8x4x2.5-inches), or one(13x4.5x2.5-inches). Reserve.
2. Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk. Stir in the salt and the honey. Reserve a few ounces of the bread flour, then add the remainder. Mix in the butter.
3. Knead using the dough hook for 8 to 10 minutes to make a smooth, soft dough. Adjust by adding the reserved flour if necessary. Do not overknead or tighten the dough or it will be difficult to work the raisins in later.
4. Place the dough in a bowl, covered in a warm place and let rise until it has double in volume, about 1 hour. Due to the large amount of sugar in this bread, you most protect the dough from cooling below 75C (24C) degrees or the capability of the yeast will be severely reduced.
5. Turn the dough out onto the work bench but do not punch it down. Incorporate the raisins and nuts and seeds (if any) by hand. Let the dough rest, covered, for 10 minutes.
6. SHAPINGS THE LOAVES: (select a style)
"Swirl": Pat down by hand to a rectangle long enough to fit selected pan/s. For two pans divide dough in half. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar over rectangle/s reserving some for the top, then roll to form a swirl effect. Place roll/s with seam down inside prepared bread pan/s.
"Twisted rope": Divide dough into 2 equal pieces ( 4 pieces if making 2 loaves). Roll with your hands each piece into a long log about 12-inches long, (about 16 inches long for 13-inch pan). Pat down each log flat about 3-inch in width. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and roll into a log again sealing the sugar inside. Twist two logs together loosely and place in prepared pan. Two twisted logs per pan.
7. Brush the loaf with egg wash and sprinkle quite heavily with cinnamon sugar. Let the loaf rise until just under doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Pre-heat oven to 375F about 30 minutes before baking time.
8. Bake at 375F degrees for about 40 minutes. Unmold and cool on rack.
NOTES : 1) 6 ounces of raisins make a loaf loaded with raisins, adjust to taste.
2) Optional: for a nutty loaf add up to 3 ounces of nuts and seeds. This loaf will not rise as much as one without nuts and seeds.
3) Cinnamon sugar (1:4 ratio). Mix 1 Tbs. cinnamon + 4 Tbs. sugar. Mix as needed maintaining the same ratio.
4) This recipe may be double if more loaves needed. Keeps well frozen. Slice before freezing. Tall loaf will be moister. Short loaves will have more crispy sugary crust per slice some times preferred at the breakfast table.
Makes: one 9x5x3-inch tall loaf (2 lbs. ) or two 8x4x2.5-inch short (1 lb. each) or one 13x4.5x2.5-inches loaf.
