I was playing with the egg bread again. Yesterday I invented two new recipes. This one is a sweet version with raisins. In retrospect, I wished I would
have put more raisins in it and the recipe reflects this desire. We love bread
and the odd time we run out and buy a loaf, we never finish it and invariably gets turned into fine breadcrumbs. But then I use lots of
breadcrumbs so it doesn’t go to waste. If I wasn’t a bread-maker, I think I
could be convinced to go off of bread altogether. Sometimes the thought
terrifies me not being well enough to cook my own food and having to move into an old folk’s
home and being force-fed with store bought bread. They will have to make me to
eat the stuff.
RAISIN EGG BREAD
2 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup lukewarm water
1/2 tsp vinegar
1-1/4 cups flour
1-1/4 cups bread flour
2 tsp instant yeast
3/4 tsp salt
2 cups raisins
white all purpose flour for handling
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, place all the ingredients.
- With the flat beater on low speed beat and fully incorporate the dough.
- The dough will be wet and sticky.
- Switch to a dough hook and beat the dough vigorously for 5 minutes or until the sides of the bowl is cleared.
- You can knead the dough by hand on a floured surface, but this is a sticky-dough and additional flour will result in a denser loaf.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turn it over and cover with plastic wrap.
- Let it rise until it doubles. Time can vary.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll out the dough on a floured surface to a rectangle to fit your baking sheet.
- Scatter the raisins on top from end to end.
- Roll it up and cut in half.
- Turn the cut end slightly under to cover any raisins sticking out.
- Place the two loaves on the prepared baking sheet.
- Brush the tops with melted butter.
- Allow the bread to rest for about 20 minutes, but no longer in a warm, draft-free place. It will rise a bit but not a whole lot.
- Turn the oven to 500F and set the timer for 9 minutes. This time may be different for you. This is how long it takes my oven to reach the required temperature.
- To avoid over rising, as soon as the oven reaches 500F place in the breads. Set the timer for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, reduce the oven to 400F. Set the timer for 9 more minutes.
- Remove the breads from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool before slicing.
