Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Cinnamon Raisin Bread, with whole wheat and sourdough.


What have we here? (Mother's on the scale)
Ingredients for the preferment: part of the flour, milk, part of the yeast, raw sugar.

Whisked well together... not too liquid but smooth.

In goes Mother, whisk that in well.

Measuring out the rest of the ingredients for the "blanket": the remaining flour, salt, sugar, the remaining yeast.

Pour it on top but don't mix in. Cover and let it rise (meanwhile, go to the store for raisins and stuff to make a salad lunch) 

All risen! see how it's poked up through the blanket. Stir the blanket in with a spatula.

Add the rest of the ingredients: raisins, cinnamon and coconut oil. Mix with the hook until it's picked itself up off the sides and makes a satisfactory slap-slap sound. 

Knead a bit on the counter if you like, until it's nice and smooth. Put a bit more oil into the mixer bowl.

Drop the dough back in, cover and let it rise.

Oooooh, it's gotten big! See how much nearer it is to the rim of the bowl.

Knock it down, then divide in two equal pieces.

 Make a rectangle as wide as the pan and about twice as long.

Roll down a third, pinching at the fold.

Roll up to the end, pinching the seam closed.

Push the side of your hand in at an angle, making flaps.

Pinch up and seal the flaps -- this makes a nice firm short end that is not too skimpy for sandwiches.

Put each into the oiled pans. It should touch the short ends but don't worry if it doesn't touch the long sides. Let them rise until they come up above the pan side. When they are level with the top, start to preheat the oven.

Ready to bake!

The final product -- how yummy! Between the three of us we finished half a loaf while it was still warm.

Cinnamon Raisin Bread!! I decided to rope K into making some replenishments for her lunchbox. While I'm reconciled to making croissants, I was pleasantly surprised to have her agree to cinnamon raisin bread, that was safe for P as well.
Jumping-off point was The Bread Bible, with a few changes: soy milk, or whatever milk they drink, and coconut oil instead of the dairy originals; raw sugar instead of honey; a starring role for Mother, my sourdough; a little whole wheat, and more raisins.
As pretty as swirl bread is, I really don't like when there is a huge gap in the slice -- known as shelling. So instead of sprinkling on the raisins and cinnamon when rolling up, we added them directly to the dough.
Nom nom nom.