Margarets Raisin Bread Recipes

OLD-FASHIONED RAISIN BREAD

Steps:

• Assemble and measure out all ingredients before beginning.
• In medium-sized saucepan, over medium-high heat, bring milk to the scalding point (180°F), stirring frequently to prevent milk from scorching. Do not boil the milk. Remove from heat and stir in the warm water, molasses, brown sugar, butter, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir until sugar has dissolved and butter has melted. Let mixture cool to about 110°F then whisk in the lightly beaten egg.
• While the milk mixture is cooling, place ½ cup warm water (110°F) in large 2-cup measuring cup or bowl. Stir 1 tsp sugar into the warm water until sugar is dissolved. Sprinkle yeast over the water and quickly, but gently, stir in the yeast. Let yeast stand, undisturbed with no stirring, for about 10-12 minutes, or until yeast is foamy and bubbly. Stir down yeast.
• In bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook, combine the liquid ingredients with the yeast along with 2 cups of the flour gradually added, one cup at a time. Beat on slow speed to blend ingredients then increase speed to medium (e.g., the "6" setting on KitchenAid Classic mixer) and beat for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl to ensure all ingredients are incorporated. Add the raisins. Again, with mixer on slow speed, gradually add 2 more cups of flour, about a cup at a time. Increase speed to medium and beat mixture for 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a lightly floured surface, using some of the remaining flour to flour the work surface. With hands greased with a small amount of vegetable oil, begin kneading the dough by hand, continuing to add more of the flour called for in the recipe until the dough is smooth, elastic, and pliable, about 8-10 minutes. Periodically re-grease hands with the oil as necessary to prevent them from sticking to the dough. (Note: If you have a very large mixer, the dough could be completely kneaded by mixer; however, if you have a standard-sized stand mixer, it will be difficult to get the dough perfectly kneaded by mixer with the quantity of flour called for in this recipe).
• Grease a bowl large enough to allow the dough to double in size. Grease all sides of dough with vegetable oil to prevent it from drying out and transfer dough to prepared bowl. Cover the top of the bowl loosely with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with cooking oil. Cover bowl completely with a towel or lightweight blanket and place in warm, draft-free location to rise until dough doubles in size, about 1¼ - 1¾ hours.
• Prepare two 9"x5"x3" loaf pans by greasing all sides of pans.
• Using vegetable oil, grease the work surface. Punch down dough in bowl with fist and turn dough out onto greased surface. Divide dough into two equal portions.
• Shape each portion of dough into an oval loaf shape and place in prepared pans.
• Cover loaves loosely with a tea towel and place in warm, draft-free location to rise again for between 45 and 60 minutes.
• About 20 minutes before bread is expected to be ready to be baked, preheat oven to 350°F. Transfer bread to oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until bread is nicely browned on top and loaves sound hollow when tapped. Immediately transfer bread from pans to wire racks to cool. If desired, gently grease tops of the hot bread with butter. Cool bread completely before cutting and serving.

CINNAMON RAISIN BREAD LOAF RECIPE

Steps:

• In a measuring glass or cup, dissolve yeast in warm water and set it aside for about 10 minutes to bloom (for developing a 1/2 to 1 inch of foam at the top, the bloom)
• Meanwhile, to the bowl of your stand mixer, add the egg, sugar, butter, and salt, and using the paddle, cream well. Add the warm milk and the bloomed yeast and water mixture to the bowl, and combine.
• Slowly add the flour to the bowl while the mixer is on medium-low speed until a dough forms. Add the raisins and give it a mix over.
• Flour your counter or work surface lightly, and transfer the dough onto it. Knead it a few times to combine. If the dough feels sticky, lightly sprinkle a little more flour, just enough to fold over.
• Grease a large bowl with spray, oil, or butter, and transfer the dough ball. Cover it with a warm, damp kitchen towel and let it rise for 1 1/2 hours until it has doubled in size.
• Transfer the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured surface, and roll out the dough into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick and 8 to 9 inches long (the size of your baking pan).
• Brush or use your hands to lightly brush milk over the dough. You could use melted butter instead.
• In a small dish, combine brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle the mixture over the dough.
• Roll the dough lengthwise, and transfer the rolled log into the prepared loaf pan. Brush the top of the dough in the pan with melted butter.
• Let the dough rise once more, in the pan, for one hour.
• Place the top baking rack in the middle position of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes until the loaf has browned at the top and it sounds hollow when tapped.
• Remove from the oven and let it cool down slightly before transferring it out of the pan onto a cooling rack. Once fully cooled, slice into 8 slices and enjoy.

CINNAMON RAISIN BREAD I

Steps:

• Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Let cool until lukewarm.
• Dissolve yeast in warm water, and set aside until yeast is frothy. Mix in eggs, sugar, butter or margarine, salt, and raisins. Stir in cooled milk. Add the flour gradually to make a stiff dough.
• Knead dough on a lightly floured surface for a few minutes. Place in a large, greased, mixing bowl, and turn to grease the surface of the dough. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled.
• Roll out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle 1/2 inch thick. Moisten dough with 2 tablespoons milk. Mix together 3/4 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons cinnamon, and sprinkle mixture on top of the moistened dough. Roll up tightly; the roll should be about 3 inches in diameter. Cut into thirds, and tuck under ends. Place loaves into well greased 9 x 5 inch pans. Lightly grease tops of loaves. Let rise again for 1 hour.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes, or until loaves are lightly browned and sound hollow when knocked. Remove loaves from pans, and brush with melted butter or margarine. Let cool before slicing.

CINNAMON RAISIN BREAD

Steps:

• Mix one batch of the White Pan Loaf dough according to instructions given in recipe.
• Place the just mixed dough in a clean bowl lightly dusted with flour. Cover the bowl with a towel and allow the dough to rise at room temperature (75 degrees to 77 degrees) for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until it doubles in volume. (An indentation made by poking your finger deep into the dough should not spring back.)
• While the dough is rising, place the raisins in a bowl or a plastic container and fill with warm water to come just below the top of the raisins. (If you use too much water, you will rinse away the natural sweetness of the raisins.)
• Place the dough on a very lightly floured surface. Gently deflate the dough and pat it into a rectangle that is about 3/4 of an inch thick, and about 6 inches by 12 inches in size. The short sides should be the top and bottom edges.
• Mix the cinnamon and sugar together, and sprinkle it evenly over the dough.
• Drain the raisins and toss them with the remaining 2 tablespoons flour. Spread the raisins evenly over the dough and gently press them into it.
• Starting at a short side, roll the dough into a log. Roll the dough tightly, keeping the skin of the dough slightly taut, and tucking in any raisins that fall out, but don't stretch the dough so tight that the skin tears. Seal the seam of the log gently but tightly using the heel of your hand against the surface of the table, or pinch it shut with your fingers.
• Place the loaf in an oiled or buttered 9 by 5 inch loaf pan, and cover with oiled plastic wrap. Let the dough rise at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until the loaf has risen almost 1 inch above the sides of the pans.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Place the loaf pan on the center oven rack. Using a plant sprayer, mist the loaf 8 to 10 times, then quickly shut the oven door. Spray the bread again after 2 minutes.
• Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees and bake for 20 to 30 minutes longer, until the crust is deep brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. The crust may color quickly because of the cinnamon and raisins in the dough; watch carefully and cover the top of the loaf loosely with foil if it is browning too fast. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove the bread from the pan and place the loaf on a rack to cool. Let cool completely before slicing, or the bread will fall apart. This bread keeps well for at least 2 days.

MARGARET'S RAISIN BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heavily grease and flour the insides of three empty 15-ounce cans. In a medium heatproof mixing bowl, pour the boiling water over the raisins and baking soda. Set aside to cool. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar and salt. Stir in the bran flake crumbs. Lightly beat together the egg and oil, and stir into the flour mixture. Stir in the cooled raisins and water. Divide the batter evenly among the 3 cans, filling about three-quarters of the way up. Bake on the lowest rack until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool for about 10 minutes and run a knife along the sides of the can to remove. If packing as gifts, just wrap in the can!