Recipe of Today: Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Ingredients:

For The Bread:

• 1 cup warm milk (about 110°F)
• 2 ¼ tsps active dry yeast
• 2 tbsps granulated sugar
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsps unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup raisins

For The Cinnamon Sugar Swirl:

• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbsps ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Instructions:

Preparing The Dough:

• In a small bowl, combine the warm milk, yeast, and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Stir gently and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until the mixture becomes frothy.

• In the bowl of your Kitchenin KM50 Stand Mixer, combine 3 cups of flour and 1 tsp salt. Mix them together using the paddle attachment.

• Pour the yeast mixture into the flour mixture and add 2 tbsps softened butter.

• Attach the dough hook to the stand mixer and mix the dough on low speed for about 2 minutes until the ingredients are combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.

• Once the dough comes together, increase the speed to medium-low and knead for 5-7 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.

• Remove the dough from the bowl, form it into a ball, and place it in a greased bowl. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place for 1-1.5 hours or until it doubles in size.

Assembling The Bread:

• After the dough has risen, punch it down to release the air. Roll it out on a floured surface into a rectangle, approximately 9x14 inches.

• In a small bowl, mix together ¼ cup granulated sugar and 2 tbsps ground cinnamon for the swirl.

• Brush the rolled-out dough with 1 tbsp melted butter and evenly sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the dough.

• Sprinkle ½ cup raisins evenly over the sugar mixture.

• Starting from one of the shorter ends, tightly roll up the dough into a log. Pinch the seam to seal.

• Place the rolled dough into a greased 9x5-inch loaf pan, seam side down.

Final Rise and Baking:

• Cover the loaf pan with a kitchen towel and let it rise for another 30-45 minutes, or until it puffs up slightly.

• Preheat your oven to 350°F during this final rise.

• Once the dough has risen again, bake it in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the bread sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

• Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve and enjoy!