Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Bread

BM# 51 -- Baking Marathon: Day 10

Bake of the Day: Breads -- Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Today I have a cinnamon raisin bread made with sourdough starter. I was planning to bake a sourdough bread and fed the starter the day before I wanted to make it. Then in the morning, I checked my blog to see that I already posted that recipe. So had to change the plan and a new search in King Arthur flour site landed me on this cinnamon raisin bread with sourdough starter.

It's been a long time I baked a cinnamon raisin bread and so started working on it right away. The difference between the one I usually bake and this is: here the cinnamon sugar and raisins are layered in after the first rise whereas in the other recipe, they are simply kneaded in.

I think I like the kneading in more than the swirling. Because I didn't roll the dough tight enough and the 'layers' started to fall apart after baking. This doesn't compromise the taste in anyway, but I think the whole step itself can be skipped to save time and sanity :-)

The bread itself is so soft and has a great crumb. I think the next time I'll skip the cinnamon-raisin part altogether and just make it into a sourdough white bread. In any case, this is a keeper recipe and we loved munching on the bread for breakfast and snack.

Ingredients: Makes 1 9"x5" loaf

Method:

To make the dough: Combine all the dough ingredients in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer -- mix and knead to make a soft, smooth dough.

Place the dough in a lightly greased container, cover and allow to rise for 1~1½hours, or until its just about to double in bulk.

While the dough is rising, make the filling by combining sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl.

Gently deflate the dough and transfer to a lightly greased work surface.

Roll and pat the dough into a rough 6"x18" rectangle.

Brush the dough with the egg/water mixture or the soy milk and sprinkle it evenly with the filling and raisins.

Starting with the short end, roll the dough into a log. Pinch the ends to seal and pinch the long seam closed.

Transfer the log, seam side down, to a lightly greased 9"x5" loaf pan. Cover and alloow the bread to rise until it crests about 1" over the rim of the pan, about 1 hour.

While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 350.

Bake the bread for 40~45 minutes -- tent it lightly with a aluminum foil after 15~20 minutes if the crust is browning too fast. Once baked, the bread's crust will be golden brown and the interior of the finished loaf will be 190 on a digital thermometer.

Remove the bread from the oven, gently loosen the edges. Turn it out on to a wire rack and brush the top with butter, if desired, for a soft satiny crust. Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing.