Bills Braisin Bread Recipes

CLASSIC RAISIN BREAD

Steps:

• Scald the milk: Heat the milk in a small saucepan on the stove-top until it reaches 181F. (If you don't have a thermometer, this will be when the milk starts to steam and small bubbles form around the edges. Pour milk back into the measuring cup and let stand until cooled to lukewarm or about 105F.
• **If using active dry yeast, add the yeast to the lukewarm milk. Stir in and let stand 5 minutes.
• In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the kneading hook, add 2 cups of the flour, the instant yeast, the white sugar and salt. Mix briefly to combine.
• Plump the raisins: Add the raisins to a small bowl. Cover them with very hot water and let stand until needed.
• To the flour mixture, add the lukewarm milk (or milk/yeast mixture if you used active dry yeast). Add the melted butter (*be sure it is cooled so it doesn't cook the egg you will be adding next :). Add the egg. Knead to combine well. Start adding more flour, in small increments, until the dough wraps around the hook and cleans the bowl.
• Drain the raisins and toss in a little flour. Add to the dough in the mixer or bowl and mix to combine. Add a bit more flour, if needed.
• Grease an 8x4-inch loaf pan and set aside.
• Remove the dough to a floured surface and knead briefly (1-2 minutes), until smooth. Form into a ball.
• Place dough into a greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Remove dough to a lightly floured surface and pat into a rectangle about 9 inches long and 5 inches wide. Bring the edges along the long side in towards the centre and pinch together. Flip the loaf over. Push any exposed raisins back into the dough, so they don't burn. Place into prepared loaf pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350F.
• When loaf is ready, bake in preheated oven for about 35 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 190F. **Check loaf after 25 minutes of baking. If it is dark enough, lay a sheet of aluminum foil over-top to prevent further browning. Continue baking until done.
• Remove from oven and immediately remove from the loaf pan to a cooling rack. While the loaf is still hot, mix up the sugar/water glaze and brush the top of the loaf. Allow to cool before slicing.

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.

WORLD'S BEST CINNAMON RAISIN BREAD (NOT BREAD MACHINE)

Steps:

• Warm the milk in a small sauce pan on the stove until it just starts to bubble, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat.
• Let cool until lukewarm, about 120-125 degrees.
• Dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside until yeast is frothy, about 10 minutes or so (make sure your water is at the correct temperature or the yeast won't activate.) Then mix in eggs, sugar, butter salt and raisins (stir in the cooled milk slowly so you don't cook the eggs.) Add the flour gradually to make a stiff dough.
• Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for a few minutes until smooth.
• Place in a large, buttered, mixing bowl and turn to grease the surface of the dough.
• Cover with a warm, damp cloth and let rise (I like to let my bread rise in the oven with the light on. It has just the right amount of heat and keeps the bread out of drafts.) Allow to rise until doubled, usually about 1 1/2 hours.
• Roll out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle 1/2 inch thick.
• Moisten the dough with 2 tablespoons milk and rub all over the dough with your hands.
• Mix together 1 cup of sugar and 3 tablespoons cinnamon and sprinkle mixture evenly on top of the moistened dough.
• Roll up tightly (the long way).
• The roll should be about 3 inches in diameter.
• Cut into thirds, and tuck under ends and pinch bottom together.
• Place loaves into well greased (you can use Crisco or butter for this) 9 x 5 inch pans and lightly grease tops of loaves.
• Let rise in warm place, uncovered, again for about an hour.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until loaves are lightly browned and sound hollow when tapped.
• Remove from oven and let cool on rack.
• Take melted butter and spread over tops of loaves.
• After about 20 minutes, lay loaves on their sides and remove from pans.
• Allow to cool before slicing.