My grandma was the queen of bread baking back in her day and I remember going to her house many times and being given a warm slice of cinnamon swirl raisin bread, which always felt like a special treat. I wanted to share that with my kids, so we whipped up a batch. Serve as a side to Poor Man’s Stew and you’ve got yourself a hearty meal! 🤤
Ingredients:
1 cup raisins
1 cup warm water
1 Tablespoons yeast
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons salt
5 1/2 to 6 cups flour (I used a few cups of wheat flour to make it healthier)
1 Tablespoon wheat germ (optional)
1 Tablespoon ground flax seed (optional)
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoon cinnamon
1 large egg beaten with 2 teaspoons warm water
Put the raisins in a small bowl and cover them with hot water. Let raisins plump for about ten minutes, drain, and set aside. In a stand mixer, pour in warm water and yeast (a pinch of sugar will help it activate, if needed). When the yeast is dissolved, stir in the milk, melted butter, and salt. Add flour and mix on low speed (or hand kneed, without a mixer), for about eight to ten minutes. Toss the raisins with some flour to absorb excess moisture, then gradually incorporate them into the dough. Cover the dough and let rise until double, about an hour. Divide the dough into two pieces and work one at a time into a rectangle that is no longer than your bread pan. Brush the inside of the dough with the egg wash, except the top two inches for the seam. Mix the cinnamon and sugar together and sprinkle generously over the egg. Carefully roll up and pinch the seams together, putting the seam side down in the greased bread pan. Repeat for the second loaf. Let both loaves rise for about forty-five minutes to an hour. Brush with remaining egg wash and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Heat the oven to 375F, and bake for 35-45 minutes, until bread is browned. Remove from pan and let cool slightly before slicing.
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| She could have eaten it in one bite! |
Enjoy!
