BBBabes bake raisin bread!

Did you know there are times that I crave for raisin bread, yes I just love it, and add some cinnamon and I'm a very happy camper. So this months bread chosen by Elle ("feeding my enthusiasms") turned out to be a raisin bread with cinnamon, I was very pleased/ Great choice Elle!

The raisins and cinnamon are combined in a struan style bread, this is a multigrain bread, so there is a little texture from the coarse polenta, oats and bran. There is no fat in it really, as there is buttermilk instead of milk and only some butter brushed on top after baking. This made it go dry faster, but an easy solution is to just smear some butter over your slices!

There will be buddies here I'm sure, so bake, enjoy and tell us about it. Send your details to Elle (visit her blog to find out where and how), deadline 29th of this month. You won't be sorry, it's delicious!

Cinnamon Raisin Struan Bread

makes 1 loaf

(PRINT recipe)

490 g high-gluten bread flour

45 g uncooked polenta (coarse ground cornmeal)

30 g rolled oats

35 g brown sugar

4 g wheat bran

12 g salt

2 tsp instant yeast,mixed with the dry ingredients

40 g cooked brown rice

35 g honey

90 g buttermilk

± 200-260 g water (be prepared to add more if needed)

225 g raisins

50 g cinnamon sugar (1 part cinnamon to 2 parts granulated sugar)

36 g melted butter, margarine, or vegetable oil

In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients, including the salt and yeast

Add the cooked rice, honey, and buttermilk and mix together. Then add 180 g water, reserving the rest to add as needed. With your hands, squeeze the ingredients together until they make a ball. Sprinkle some flour on the counter and turn the ball out of the bowl and begin kneading. Add small quantities of water as needed. (or use a standmixer to knead)

Because Struan has so many whole grains, it takes longer to knead than most breads. Allow at least 15 minutes, but be prepared to knead for 20 (when using the standmixer with dough hook about 10-12 min). The dough will change before your eyes, lightening in color, becoming gradually more elastic and evenly grained. The finished dough should be tacky, not sticky, lightly golden, stretchy and elastic, rather than porridge-like. When you push the heels of your hands into the dough it should give way but not tear. If it flakes or crumbles, add a little more water.

When the dough seems ready, add the raisins and knead for 2 more minutes, until the raisins are evenly distributed.Put in the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap, or place the bowl inside a plastic bag. Allow the dough to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, until it has roughly doubled in size.

Place the dough on a lightly greased counter and with a rolling pin, roll out into a rectangle. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the surface, spreading it evenly. From the bottom of the long side, roll up the dough into a tight loaf, tucking and pinching the seams into one line on the bottom. Put the loaves, seam side down, in a greased bread pan and cover and allow the loaves to rise until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven 180ºC. When the loaf has risen, cresting over the top of the pans, place on the center shelf and bake for about 45 minutes. The loaves should be nicely domed and dark gold. The bottom and sides should be a uniform light gold and there should be an audible, hollow thwack when you tap the bottom of the loaf. If the loaf is not ready, remove them from the pans and place them back in the oven until done. They will bake quickly when removed from the pans.

When done, brush a little butter, margarine, or oil over the top, then sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar, coating each loaf with a layer of cinnamon crust.

Allow the bread to cool on wire racks for at least 40 minutes before slicing. This bread makes exceptional breakfast toast and French toast!

(from “Sacramental Magic in a Small-Town Cafe” - Br Peter Reinhart)