Bread Machine Recipes:
Cinnamon Raisin Bread Recipe

If you have a bread machine, this raisin bread recipe is as easy as throwing in a few ingredients and pressing a button.

Cinnamon and raisin bread has to be one of my favorites.

It is so perfect in the morning toasted, with a little butter.

Eating toasted raisin bread makes you feel just a little decadent with that slightly sweet taste and the soft sweetness of the raisins.

This raisin bread recipe comes from a terrific new bread machine recipes book called The Artisan Bread Machine: 250 Recipes for Breads, Rolls, Flatbreads and Pizzas by Judith Fertig.

Judith has written several wonderful cookbooks so it is no wonder her bread machine recipes should be so delicious.

This one comes from an actual miller, someone who grinds wheat into flour.

"People love my cinnamon and raisin bread recipe because it's got a very soft, tender crumb," says Alvin Brensing, the octogenarian miller in charge of producing Hudson Cream Flour, a premium all-purpose flour from Stafford County, Kansas. His home economist daughter helped him perfect this recipe.

Judith says that "If you wish, you can substitute bread flour and omit the vital wheat gluten, but the bread won't be as tender. The cinnamon turns this bread a rich, warm brown."

You can use less cinnamon if you prefer.

Any leftovers you may have from this wonderful raisin and cinnamon bread would make delicious French toast or bread pudding, either one a real treat.

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Raisin Bread Recipe

Ingredients for a 1 pound (500 g) loaf:

3/4 (175 mL) cup milk
1 1/2 tablespoons (22 mL) unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons (30 mL) packed light or dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon (5 mL) salt
2 small eggs, beaten
2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons (20 mL) vital wheat gluten
4 teaspoons (20 mL) ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon (5 mL) instant or bread machine yeast
1/2 cup (125 mL) raisins, plumped and drained (see tip below)

Ingredients for a 1 1/2 pound (750 g) loaf:

3/4 cup (175 mL) milk
2 1/2 (37 mL) tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons (45 mL) packed light or dark brown sugar
1 1/2 (7 mL) teaspoons salt
2 large eggs, beaten
2 2/3 cups (650 mL) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons (22 mL) vital wheat gluten
1 1/2 tablespoons (22 mL) ground cinnamon
1 1/2 (7 mL) teaspoons instant or bread machine yeast
2/3 cup (150 mL) raisins, plumped and drained (see tip below)

Ingredients for a 2 pound (1 kg) loaf:

1 cup (250 mL) milk
3 tablespoons (45 mL) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup (60 mL) packed light or dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons (10 mL) salt
3 large eggs, beaten
3 3/4 cups (925 mL) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (30 mL) vital wheat gluten
2 tablespoons (30 mL) ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons (7 mL) instant or bread machine yeast
3/4 cup (175 mL) raisins, plumped and drained (see tip below)

Ingredients for a 3 pound (1.5 kg) loaf:

1 2/3 cups (400 mL) milk
1/4 cup (60 mL) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup (75 mL) packed light or dark brown sugar
2 1/2 (12 mL) teaspoons salt
3 large eggs, beaten
5 cups (1.25 L) all-purpose flour
8 teaspoons (40 mL) vital wheat gluten
8 teaspoons (40 mL) ground cinnamon
1 3/4 teaspoons (8 mL) instant or bread machine yeast
1 cup (250 mL) raisins, plumped and drained (see tip below)

In a medium sauce pan, scald milk over medium-high heat until bubbles form around the edge. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and brown sugar. Transfer to the bread pan and let cool to lukewarm (between 86°F and 95°F/30°C and 35°C).

Add salt and eggs to the bread pan. Spoon flour on top of liquid. Add wheat gluten, cinnamon and yeast. Place the raisins in the dispenser (or add at the "add ingredient" or "mix in" signal).

Select the Basic/White cycle and the Light Crust setting and press Start.

Makes 1 loaf.

This is truly the supreme bread machine! The Zojirushi offers advanced options for your bread baking. It gives you the choice of using the dough cycle by itself, then finishing in your regular oven. In addition, you can make dough for crisp pizza crust, light dinner rolls, mouth-watering cinnamon rolls, hamburger or hoagie buns, artisan breads, sourdough, gluten-free breads and cakes. Zojirushi 2-lb. Home Bakery Supreme Breadmaker, Black/Stainless

Tips:

• For a more delicate cinnamon flavor, decrease the amount called for by half.
• If your machine has a dispenser, check the manual for the correct operating instructions.
• If your dough does not form a ball during the first few minutes of kneading, do one of two things: if the dough looks dry and crumbly, add 1 tablespoon (15 mL) water at 1-minute intervals until the dough forms a ball; if the dough looks wet, add 1 tbs (15 mL) all-purpose flour at 1-minute intervals until the dough forms a ball.
• When you're making the 1 pound (500 g) loaf, if you can't find small eggs, beat 2 large eggs until blended, then measure 1/4 cup + 2 teaspoons (70 mL) to equal the volume of 2 small eggs, reserving any remaining egg for another use.
• To plump raisins for this raisin bread recipe, place them in a bowl and add enough hot water to cover. Let stand for 15 minutes or until plump. Drain well and let cool, then pat dry.