Recipe: Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Got this recipe from Smashed Peas & Carrots)

Cinnamon-Raisin Bread (makes two 9 x5 inch loaves)

For the dough:

1 envelope (1/4 oz) active dry yeast

2 cups warm milk

6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (plus more for dusting)

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into pieces

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs, plus 1 large egg that's lighty beaten

2 1/2 tsp salt

1 cup raisins

1 tbsp cinnamon

vegetable oil for bowl (or cooking spray!) and plastic wrap

For filling:

3/4 cup sugar

2 tbsp cinnamon

2 tbsp water

1. To make the dough: In bowl of an electric mixer, sprinkle yeast over the warm milk and whisk to combine. Add flour, butter, sugar, 2 eggs, and salt. Attach the dough hook to your mixer. Mix on low speed until all ingredients are well combined (about 3 minutes). Increase speed to medium-low and mix until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl (about 3 more minutes).


2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Pat dough into a 9-inch round (about 1 1/4 inches thick) and sprinkle with raisins and cinnamon. Knead dough until incorporated. Place dough in lightly oiled bowl and cover with oiled plastic wrap. (I just sprayed cooking spray in the bowl and on the plastic wrap.) Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about an hour.


3. Return dough to lightly floured work surface, and pat into a round again. Fold the bottom third up, and then top third down, and the right and left sides over, tapping dough to release excess flour and pressing down to seal. Return dough to the bowl, seam side down and cover with plastic wrap, and let rise again until doubled, about 40 minutes.


4. To make filling: Mix sugar and cinnamon with 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Place dough on lightly floured surface an divide in half. Roll out one half to a 12 x 10 inch rectangle. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with half the filling. Repeat with the other half of dough.


5. Beaten egg plus 2 Tbsp water added to the filling mixture...check!


6. Brushed with beaten egg and sprinkled with the cinnamon-sugar filling.


7. Grease two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans, set aside. Fold in both long sides of dough, about an inch. Then roll dough toward you with short side facing you, making a nice and tight log. Place in prepared pans with seam side down. Cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until dough is just above the rim of the pan, about 30 minutes. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees at this time.

Brush tops of loaves with beaten egg and place loaf pans on a baking sheet to catch drips. Line with parchment for easy clean-up! Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until loaves are golden brown, about 45 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before turning out to a wire rack.

This is a great recipe! We loved it. It is very soft, light and very delicious!

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