The Miller's Cinnamon and Raisin Bread

This was one of the first breads that I've made when I bought the book "The Artisan Bread Machine" by Judith Fertig.  She got this recipe from a wheat miller in Kansas. And the miller says that people love their cinnamon and raisin bread because it has got a very soft, tender crumb. It has! Another keeper recipe!

I love the rich brown colour of the bread, mostly from the cinnamon powder and also some from the raisins that got mashed up during kneading  :o)

This is really easy and simple, kneading all done by the ever faithful bread machine. The recipe calls for all-purpose flour and vital wheat gluten, but I use bread flour and added in 1 teaspoon of dough enhancer, I omitted the vital wheat gluten as bread flour is used here. As usual, I let the machine do the kneading. The dough is really wet after a few minutes of kneading, I added in about a tablespoon of flour at a time but stop at about 1/3 cup of flour. At the sound of the beep, I gradually added in the raisins. Oops, I can see some of the raisins being mashed up during the kneading process. I guess that contributes more colour to the final bread! I took out the dough and put it directly into a greased loaf pan. The dough will be very soft and sticky, I sprinkled some flour onto the dough and with floured fingers, stretch the dough gently to evenly cover the pan. The pan I used is a little too small, use a bigger pan, refer my notes below, as it really puffs up within 30 minutes, almost spill over from the pan!

Bake in a preheated oven at 175C for about 28 minutes. Remove bread and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

This is one lovely bread, very tasty with soft tender crumbs, just as described by the miller. It stays soft the next day too, probably from the dough enhancer that I added in.  Good with a spread of salted butter and your favourite jam. 

I'm sharing this with :
BYOB, Bake Your Own Bread hosted by Girlichef
Recipe Box 1 hosted by Bizzy Bakes
Cookbook Sunday hosted by Couscous & Counsciousness


The Miller's Cinnamon and Raisin Bread
(adapted from "The Artisan Bread Machine" by Judith Fertig)
makes one 750gm loaf
3/4 cup milk
2-1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
3 tbsp packed light or dark brown sugar
1-1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs, beaten
2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tbsp vital wheat gluten
1-1/2 tbp ground cinnamon
1-1/2 tsp instant or bread machine yeast
2/3 cup raisins, plumped and drained *

1. In a medium saucepan, scald milk over medium-high heat until bubbles form aound the edge. Remove from heat and stir in butter and brown sugar. Transfer to the bread pan and let cool to lukewarm. (between 86F and 95F / 30C and 35C)
2. Add salt and eggs to the bread pan. Spoon flour on top of liquid. Add wheat gluten, cinnamon and yeast. Place raisins in the dispenser (or add at the "add ingredient" or "mix in" signal).
3. Select the Basic/White Cycle and Light Crust setting and press Start.

** To plump raisins, place them in a bowl and add enough hot water to cover. Let stand for 15 minutes or untill plump. Drain well and let cool, then pat dry.

kitchen flavour's notes :

~ replace the all-purpose flour with bread flour.

~ omited vital wheat gluten because I use the bread flour, but added in 1 teaspoon dough enhancer.

~ the dough was really wet and I added in about another 1/3 cup of bread flour to the bread pan until the dough does not stick to the side of the pan, but still soft to touch. 

~ mixed the dough using the bread machine, at setting "Basic Dough". Add in the raisins gradually at the sound of the beep.

~ at the end of the cycle, transfer dough to a greased loaf pan, I used a 8-1/2x4-1/2 inch pan, which is a little too small, use preferably a slightly larger pan, perhaps 9x5-inch pan, or slightly larger. Dough will be very soft and sticky, I sprinkled some flour lightly over dough in pan, and with floured fingers, spread dough to fill up pan and level the top. Leave dough covered loosely with lightly oiled cling wrap for about 30 minutes or until it has puffed and risen to about 1inch above pan rim. Meanwhile, preheat oven at 175C.
~ Bake for about 25 minutes until done. Immediately transfer bread onto a wire rack to cool completely.