Posted By Ingrid Turner on Nov 1, 2013 in Baking, Bread Recipe, Breads, Breakfast, Featured, Fruit, Fruit & Vegetables, Grapes, How To Cook, Sweets, Vegetarian | 0 comments

Raisin Bread Month is here in the month of November, and now you’re thinking to yourself when on Earth the last time you baked a loaf of Raisin Bread at home was.

It may have been a while, if I’m guessing correctly.

Raisin Information:

Raisins are just dried grapes. Muscat grapes, which are generally available near year end, are aromatic, sweet & are ideal to use in baking rich cakes & other confections.

The golden & dark common raisins available at your market are both dried & seedless (Thompson Seedless), an either can be used in recipes.

Sultanas are paler & more acidic, and are nice eaten fresh.

Dried currants are very small, dried raisins from Zante & black Corinth grapes.

How to Bake Raisin Bread:

My recipe for raisin bread follows and yields one nice, large loaf.

Type: Bread Recipe

Serve With: softened butter
Prep Time: ~ 8 min
Rise Time: 1 1/2 hrs
Bake Time: 40 – 50 min
Yield: 1 large loaf

Ingredients:

4 tbsp warm water
3 tsp active dry yeast
1 1/3 cups scalded milk (cooled) or warm water
3 1/2 tbsp + 1/3 cup sugar
7 tbsp + 3 tsp butter – melted
3 large eggs
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour or bread flour
3/4 – 1 3/4 cups raisins
1 tbsp cinnamon – I used Epicureal Saigon Cinnamon

Review Show: Epicureal Saigon Cinnamon

Instructions:

In a large bowl, allow yeast to bloom for about 10 min in warm water.
Add in & mix by hand or with a mixer for about 1 1/2 min, scalded & cooled milk or warm water, 3 1/2 tbsp sugar, 7 tbsp melted butter, 2 eggs & salt.
Slowly stir in all purpose or bread flour until sticky & moist.
Knead dough for about 12 min or with dough hook on medium low speed until dough is elastic & smooth.
Place in an oiled bowl and place plastic loosely over bowl. Allow to rise in a warm location until it doubles in bulk.
While dough is rising, into a sauce pan, place raisins with enough water to cover them by 1/2 inch, and bring up to a boil. Turn off. Drain & allow to cool.
Stir together 1/3 cup sugar & cinnamon in a bowl.
Grease a large loaf pan.
Punch down dough, and with a rolling pin, roll out the dough to 8 inches x 18 inches and about 1/2 inch thick.
Brush with melted butter, spread raisins over dough, sprinkle with sugar & cinnamon mix over dough saving 3 tsp.
Start at short side of dough to roll up the dough, pinching & tucking under the ends.
Allow to rise in a warm location until it doubles in volume again.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Brush top of loaf with 1 beaten egg & a pinch of salt. Sprinkle remaining cinnamon & sugar mixture on top.
Bake until loaf has a deep golden brown crust & bottom sounds hollow when tapped, checking while bread is still hot – about 40 – 50 min.
Brush 3 tsp butter on top, so it melts.