Cinnamon Raisin Bread

I can't tell you for how long Tim has asked me to make Cinnamon Raisin Bread.  Tim seems to have this passion for things that are rolled.  He asks for Swiss roll during Christmas, and a pumpkin roll during the Winter months... And a beautiful spiral of toasty cinnamon bread.  I don't know why, but I've feared making those cakes for him as rolling up a cake just doesn't seem like it will work.  There's a trick that I'm not aware of.  I did end up making it over Christmas, a peppermint Swiss roll.  So here we are with a lovely cinnamon raisin bread!

Ingredients:

• 1 C warm whole milk
• should feel neutral to the skin
• 1/3 C warm water
• 3 T Honey
• 3 1/2 T unsalted butter, divided, melted and cooled
• 1 3/4 C (9 2/3 oz) whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 - 2 C (8 1/4 - 11 oz) bread flour
• 1/4 C wheat germ
• 2 1/4 t yeast
• 2 t salt
• 1/2 C raisins
• I used golden raisins
• Vegetable oil spray

Step 1:

Combine milk, water, honey and 3 T of the melted butter in a bowl.  Whisk to combine.

Step 2:

Combine the whole wheat flour, 1 1/2 C bread flour, wheat germ, yeast, and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.  It's fine if you don't have a stand mixer.  You can mix by hand, just more than double the kneading time.  With mixer on low add the milk mixture until dough comes together.   (approx. 2 min)

Step 3:

Increase speed to medium and knead until dough is smooth and elastic. The dough will stick to the bottom, that's perfect. However, if still too wet, add the remaining bread flour a little at a time.  Add raisins and knead until well incorporated.  Knead a bit by hand and form a ball.  Allow to rise until doubled (approx. 1 to 1 1/2 hrs)

Step 4: 

Spray the 9x5 in loaf pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cinnamon goodness:

• 3 T light brown sugar
• 2 T granulated sugar
• 1 T ground cinnamon
• I used ceylon cinnamon

Step 5:

Press dough into a large rectangle 20 x 8 inches. Combine ingredients from cinnamon goodness into small bowl.  Spray water over rectangle.  Sprinkle mixture over rectangle and spray again to help adhere.  Roll dough into log and pinch at seams.  Place in loaf pan and allow to rise. (approx. 30 min)

Step 6:

Toss in oven and bake until golden brown and internal temperature of bread registers 200 degrees F.  Allow to cool 10 minutes in loaf pan and completely on wire rack.

Enjoy!