Kitchen Improv

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

My kids and husband love my version of this classic bread. My recipe lacks the extra fat and corn syrup that you’ll find in commercially baked versions. Mine also turns out lighter, so you’ll need to adjust your yeast and rise times if you like the dense texture of the store-bought variety.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon bread flour
1/2 cup raisins
1 1/2 cups milk (I tend to use 1% fat content)
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
3 1/2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 3/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

Method
Add the tablespoon of bread flour to the raisins in a small bowl. Toss to coat all of the raisins, and then sift off the excess flour. Set aside.

Combine the milk, sugar, and oil into the bottom of the Zojirushi pan. Add the flour, cinnamon, and salt on top, making a small well where the yeast should be added. Set your machine to these times:

Preheat for 18 minutes
Knead for 22 minutes, adding the flour-coated raisins during the last five minutes of the knead cycle
Rise for 60 minutes
Rise for another 60 minutes after punch-down
Bake for 45 minutes

When the baking completes, immediately turn the loaf out onto a clean, dry towel. Let loaf cool completely before slicing and bagging.