Cinnamon Raisin Loaf: Rose's Bread Bible Bakers
Sunday, August 28, 2016 at 12:46PM 
Cinnamon Raisin Loaf 'The Bread Bible'
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It's almost Christmas, or so said a facebook count down post this week and this cinnamon raisin loaf from Rose Levy Beranbaum would be just the thing for Christmas or an anytime brunch.
It started with making a sponge... flour, water, honey and yeast were whisked until a thick airy batter was achieved.
The "sponge" is a yeast starter. I did mine in the mixer.
Next flour, dry milk powder and yeast were whisked together and sprinkled over the sponge.
Off it goes now to ferment, for 1 to 4 hours.
Bubbles broke through the flour blanket at the end of the fermenting stage.
Onto the mixer now where softened butter is added to the fermented flour mixture and beaten until a rough dough forms.
A short rest follows, for that dough that is, but you do have time to get a cup of tea now.
Back to the mixer, salt is added and the dough beaten to it forms a smooth and shiny ball.
Yup, another short rest here.
And back to the mixer to add the raisins. I used a mixture of sultanas and currants.
After the raisins are added your dough goes off for a couple of hours to do the rising thing. Time for much tea or maybe a yoga class now.
Back from yoga and it's time turn out the dough, form a rectangle, business letter fold the dough whilst maintaining as much air a possible.
Covered, the dough goes into the fridge for now for an hour to firm up. I left mine for 24 hours at this stage to develop flavour.
Make your cinnamon sugar mixture.
The dough is rolled out to the specified size in the book, Rose's recipe makes two loaves I made many mini loaves because we know I just like "mini food".
Beaten egg is brushed onto the rolled dough, cinnamon sugar is sprinkled on leaving a border unsugared.
Roll up you dough, just like we did for the sticky caramel buns last month. Place your rolled dough into greased tins to rise for one to two hours.
Time to bake!
When the loaves are removed from oven and still in tins, melted butter is brushed on.
Sssshhhh! You aren't supposed to cut your hot bread but here is the a hot mini loaf with the cut crust off, wanted to see if the spiral worked.
Fantastic texture in this bread! Toasts beautifully, however it does burn quickly so keep an eye on it.
I served mine toasted with fresh cheese, berries and maple syrup but it was equally delicious toasted with butter. I liked it fresh and unadorned too reminded me of panettone, a nice one not the slightly dodgy ones the supermarket sells at Christmas.
Would I change anything? No, perfect how it was.
Want another flavour? Rose has a savoury version in the book and suggests you can leave out the dried fruit if preferred. A friend suggested candied peel could be added, yes if you like peel go for it. I think chopped dried dates, orange zest and swapping out the cinnamon for cardamom would result in lovely loaf. A versatile enriched base dough suits many flavour combinations.
Happy Baking :)
Today has been one of the 'Rose's Bread Bible Bakers' bakes where a group of fabulous bakers get together and bake from the pages of 'The Bread Bible'.
The Bread Bible
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