Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Whole Wheat cinnamon swirl raisin bread

From the outside this bread looks like ordinary boring wheat bread.  But there is a surprise inside....raisins and cinnamon!  This bread has a crunchy outside but is soft on the inside.  The cinnamon and raisins are so flavorful I just eat this bread toasted and plain, no butter or jam required.  Of course, like all yeast breads you have to have patience, but the wait is worth it and you will have enough bread to supply you for two weeks......unless you get really hungry and just can't help yourself and before you know it you sat down with a loaf and now it is all gone.  When I was baking this bread it made my whole house smell like cinnamon.  This bread is also very good for you:

115 Calories,  1.8 g fat, 23 g carbs, and 3.2 g of protein.

You will need:
2 cups of bread flour
2 cups whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
1 large egg
2 tbsp canola oil
3 tbsp honey
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp instant dry yeast
cooking spray
2/3 cups raisins
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

To make the dough, warm up 1 1/4 cups water (about 120-125 degrees F).  Add the water to a large mixing bowl with the bread flour, whole wheat flour, nonfat dry milk, egg, canola oil, honey, salt, and yeast.  Fit your stand mixer with a dough hook and mix for about 3 minutes on the lowest setting.  Increase to the next highest speed and mix for about 5 minutes.  When the dough has come together, shape it into a ball and place in a bowl that has been covered lightly with canola oil.  Roll your ball around so that it is covered with oil as well then cover it and let it rise for about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
When your dough is about 30 minutes away from being done, soak your raisins.  Place them in a bowl and pour boiling hot water over the top of them.  Let them soak for about 30 minutes.  If you skip this step, the raisins will take the moisture out of your bread.


When the dough is finished rising, cut it into two pieces.  Roll each one out to about an 8 inch square.  Mine were more like rectangles, I tried really hard to get a perfect square and it just wasn't happening.  Next time I think I will roll them a bit thinner so that there is even more of a swirl.  Maybe an 8 inch by 15 inch would be better.  Sprinkle cinnamon so that it covers the bread dough and then add some brown sugar.  You can add as little or as much as you like of the cinnamon and brown sugar.  To be healthier I didn't use all of my brown sugar.  Evenly distribute the raisins onto both breads.

Tightly roll up your bread.  I pushed down onto every roll to make sure the raisins were really snug in there dough blanket.  If a raisin escapes make sure you put it right back in....no raisin left behind!  When your done rolling press down on both ends with the heal of your hand and tuck it.

Place each loaf, seam side down into a lightly greased 9X5 inch pan.  Let this rise for another hour and 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.  Brush the loaves with canola oil and bake until golden brown....about 25-30 minutes.  Remove from the pan and transfer to a rack.



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