cinnamon raisin bread

1 cup warm water (100-110 degrees)
1 cup warm milk (100-110 degrees)
2 ½ tsp active dry yeast
4 teaspoons sugar
1 tsp salt
3 tbs butter, melted then cooled
5 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 cups raisins, Craisins or currants

for filling:
¾ cup sugar
2 tbs cinnamon
1 large egg, beaten
¼ cup butter, melted then cooled
1 large egg white, beaten
3 tbs sugar

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine water and yeast. Let sit for 10 minutes, until yeast is frothy. Add milk, sugar, salt and butter. Add flour and, using the dough hook, mix and knead on medium-low speed for 7 minutes. Add raisins and continue mixing for another three minutes.

Transfer dough to a lightly-floured surface. Knead by hand a few times and form into a ball. Place into a large, lightly-oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 ½ hours, until doubled in size.

Generously butter two 9 by 5-inch loaf pans; set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together sugar and cinnamon; set aside. Place dough onto a lightly-floured surface and cut in half. Working with one half at a time, roll into a 10 by 12-inch rectangle. Brush with half of the beaten whole egg, sprinkle with half of the cinnamon/sugar mixture, and drizzle with half of the melted butter. With the back of a spoon, rub the butter into the sugar cinnamon mixture. Roll the dough tightly, starting from a short end. Place, seam down, into a loaf pan and cover loosely with lightly-oiled plastic wrap. Repeat with second half of dough and let loaves rise in a warm place for 45 minutes to an hour, until doubled in size.

30 minutes before the loaves are finished rising, heat oven to 400-degrees and place a baking stone on a rack in the lower third (stone is optional). Brush tops of loaves with egg white and sprinkle each with 1 ½ tbs sugar. Bake for 15 minutes, then lower temperature to 375-degrees and bake another 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for half an hour before slicing.



Where to find it: For French butter dishes, contact Okanagan Pottery in Peachland at www.okanaganpottery.com