Cinnamon Raisin Bread

 Mmmm, cinnamon bread toast for every one!   

When you have company and you are trying to think of something for breakfast, this bread makes great toast topped with a pat of butter or..... make  french toast with it!  

1 c. hot water

2 T. yeast

1 T. sugar

1 ½ cups warm milk
3 eggs

3/4 c.sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 c. raisins

8 c. flour

1/4 c. milk

¾ c. sugar

1-2 T. cinnamon

2 Tbs. soft butter to brush the top of baked loaves

  Dissolve yeast in 1 cup of hot water with 1 Tbs. sugar, stir and set aside while you heat the milk.

Just a little note to my Dominican friends...try to find some U.S. yeast (which is actually made in Canada! haha!) Amigo carries it, look for Fleichmann's Yeast. 

Place milk in a medium sauce pan and heat to luke warm 
like a baby bottle.
If you get it hotter than that, just let it cool until it is luke warm.

In a bowl or mixer place eggs, sugar, salt and raisins.
(Yes you can do this by hand!)

Add 4 cups flour and yeast mixture and mix until well blended.  

Add luke milk warm and 4 more cups of flour.  Mix well and kneed for 8 minutes.  

 Place in a greased bowl and cover with a towel.  Let rise till double in bulk, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

  place on lightly floured surface and divide into thirds.  

Roll each third out into a  9x5 rectangle or what ever measurement will fit your bread pan.

liberally brush surface of dough with milk.   

Mix ¾ cup sugar with 2 Tbs cinnamon and sprinkle 1/3 of mixture on top of  the milk.  

Using two hands (I'm using one hand on the camera but would use two if I could! lol) rolling from the long side, roll up like you would cinnamon rolls. 

Tuck under ends and place in well greased 9x5 bread pans.  

Cover and let rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until double in size.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or till golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.  

Remove from pans, brush tops with butter.  Let cool on wire racks.

Honey get the toaster out and make my slices nice and thick!

© Nancy Rappleye 2012

French Bread

My husband Kent made this easy French bread and it tastes delicious!  
It's good with butter and jam, made into garlic toast or 
french toast for breakfast! We used it to dip into pesto and olive oil with our dinner last night.  

My handsome romanticle husband Kent the Chef!

½ c. hot water

2 T. yeast

1 T. sugar


2 c. hot water

2 T. sugar

3 tsp. salt

5 T. oil

6 c. flour

Dissolve yeast and sugar in ½ c. hot water, stir and set aside. 

Mix remaining ingredients, in a large mixing bowl, first add only 3 c. of flour and stir well...... 

Add yeast mixture.  stir.  

Add balance of flour and stir into a ball.  

Leave spoon in batter and let dough rest 10 minutes.  Stir down dough and let rest again for 10 minutes.  

Repeat the stirring of dough and 10 minute rest period 3 more times. (this timing ends up being 1 hour)

  

flour surface and place dough on top of flour.  Divide dough in half.  Roll each half out into a rectangle shape (approximately 9x12 inches) and roll up like a jelly roll, tuck ends under and place on a well greased (Crisco shortening works great)baking sheet. Don't fuss over them looking perfect, they will taste wonderful!  

Brush tops with beaten egg white, sprinkle with sesame seeds (opt.) cut diagonally 3 times across the top of each loaf. 
( a serrated knife works well) 

Let rise until double in size.  

Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from oven and place on cooling rack.  When completely cool, store in plastic bread sacks. 

My husband did a great job and I have been enjoying an occasional piece of bread and butter today.............

O.K. maybe more than an occasional piece of bread! 

( I couldn't help myself!) 

© Nancy Rappleye 2012