Cinnamon-Raisin Bread

The aroma wafting from your oven while this spicy raisin bread bakes will have mouths watering all through the house.

MAKES: one 9-x 5-inch loaf

PREP TIME: 45 minutes

RISING TIME: about 2 hours

COOKING TIME: about 1 hour

INGREDIENTS:

YEAST SPONGE:

• ¾ cup warm whole milk (about 110ºF)
• 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 ½ tsp active dry yeast

DOUGH:

• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 ¾ cups bread flour
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch cubes and softened
• ⅔ cup sultana raisins
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• Egg Wash (1 large egg whisked with 1 Tbsp water)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. For the yeast sponge, pour the warm milk into the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl). Sprinkle the sugar and yeast over the milk. Let stand until puffy, about 5 minutes.
2. For the dough, add the eggs to the yeast sponge. Fit the stand mixer with the dough hook attachment (or use a hand-held electric mixer). Mix on low speed for 1 minute.
3. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Add the butter and toss gently.
4. Add the flour mixture to the yeast sponge. Mix on medium speed for 4 minutes. (If not using a stand mixer, mix in the flour until combined, then turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth.)
5. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead a few times to bring it together into a ball. Pat it into a disc about 1 inch thick.
6. Sprinkle with the sultanas and lemon zest. Knead thoroughly until well distributed throughout the dough and the dough forms a ball.
7. Place the dough in a lightly oiled large bowl, turning the dough to coat it evenly with oil. Cover the bowl with a damp towel, or loosely with plastic wrap. Let stand in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
8. On a lightly floured work surface, punch down the dough to remove the air. Roll out the dough to an 11-x 10-inch rectangle. With one of the longer edges facing you, fold in both sides by 1 inch. Roll up the dough tightly away from you. Pinch to seal the seam.
9. Thoroughly grease a 9-x 5-inch loaf pan. Place the loaf, seam side down, in the pan. Cover the pan with a damp towel, or loosely with plastic wrap. Let stand the pan. Let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, 45 to 60 minutes.
10. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400ºF.
11. Brush the egg wash over the top of the loaf. Bake until the loaf is browned on top, about 1 hour. (If it appears to be browning too quickly, tent the top loosely with foil.) 12. Let the loaf cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove the loaf from the pan and let cool completely on the wire rack.

CHANGE IT UP:

• For a spicy cranberry-orange loaf, swap the raisins for dried cranberries and the lemon zest for 2 teaspoonfuls of finely grated orange zest.