Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread

Dan's parents are coming to town and staying with us a couple of nights. When I was visiting them over Christmas in NFLD, they always had homemade cinnamon raisin bread on hand and it was the best treat. I always toasted it with peanut butter. Yum. Anyways, because I know they both enjoy cinnamon raisin bread, I thought I would return the favour and bake them some. Here's a recipe adapted slightly from the the kitchn. It makes two loaves. 

Here's what you'll need for the bread:

1 cup raisins

1 cup warm water

1 Tbsp active dry yeast

1 cup milk (I used 1% but any kind will work)

1/4 salted butter, melted

1/2 tsp salt

5 1/2 cups Bread Flour (AP Flour will also work)

Here's what you'll need for the filling:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon

1 egg

Put the raisins in a small bowl and cover them with hot water for 8-10 minutes. This functions to make the raisins soft and plump. Drain and set aside.

Put 1 cup of warm water in a large bowl and sprinkle yeast over top. Let sit for 5-10 minutes, then stir to dissolve the remaining yeast. Also, just a little tip here: If you want, you can use the water from soaking the raisins; it will add extra flavour in your loaves. This is what I did. 

Stir the milk, melted butter, and salt into the water and yeast mixture. Now, gradually add the 5 1/2 cups of flour. As I mentioned, you can use bread flour or AP flour; it really doesn't make a difference with this bread. 

Using dough hook, knead dough in a stand mixer on low speed for 8-10 minutes or alternatively if you're stand mixer is broken like mine, knead by hand for 8-10 minutes. Muscles. The dough should be smooth and slightly tacky. If you find it's too sticky, add some extra flour halfway through the kneading process. 

Toss the raisins with a few tablespoons of flour so absorb any moisture from the soaking. If using a stand mixer, gradually add them until they are evenly distributed. If kneading by hand, pat the dough into an oval shape on your countertop. Sprinkle half of the raisins on top of the oval and fold like a letter. Repeat this step once more. So, form oval, sprinkle remaining raisins, fold like a letter. Knead the dough for a few more minutes until the raisins are evenly distributed (this took about 4 minutes for me). 

Rub the inside of a large bowl with oil and place the ball of bread dough inside. Cover with a tea towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled. This will take about 1 hour. 

In the meantime, combine the sugar and cinnamon filling in a small bowl, and beat the egg in a separate small bowl. 

Divide the dough into two pieces, so that you can work with one piece at a time. Roll the dough out on the counter. It should be slightly less wide than your bread baking pan and as long as you can make it. The thinner the dough, the more layers of cinnamon deliciousness you'll end up with. Brush the entire surface of the dough with the egg wash, leaving about 2 inches at the top. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar filling over the dough. Starting at the end closest to you, roll up the dough. When you get to the top, pinch the seam closed; also, pinch the seams on the side of the dough closed. Place the loaf seam side down in a greased bread pan. Repeat these steps with the other piece of dough.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cover the loaves with a tea towel and let them rise one more time, until they are slightly mounded over the top of the bread pan. This will take 30-40 minutes.  

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. When you tap on the loaves, they should sound hollow. Remove the loaves from the bread pans and let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. 

Enjoy with a nice slab of butter! :)

                                          

Ginger Toffee Cookies

Here's another one of my favourite Fall recipes. These cookies are really easy to make and they always turn out good. Just a head up though —this recipe makes A LOT of them (~36 or more, depending on the size). 

Here's what you'll need:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup salted butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening

3/4 cup molasses
2 eggs

3 1/2 cup AP flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 cloves
3 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup toffee bits
3-4 Tbsp chopped crystallized ginger
*additional granulated sugar for coating


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cream butter, shortening, and sugar. Add the molasses and eggs, and beat well. Now, add the AP flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, baking soda, and vanilla. Mix until combined. Finally, stir in the toffee bits and chopped crystallized ginger.

Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour or alternatively place the dough in the freezer for ~20 minutes. I always put my dough in the freezer for 20 minutes because I can't wait the full hour! The purpose of putting the dough in the fridge or freezer is so that the dough is less sticky and easier to for into balls.

Place some additional granulated sugar in a small bowl. Roll the dough in balls (~1.5 inches in diameter) and then roll balls in granulated sugar. Place balls on a prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes until cracked and golden.

After removing the cookies from the oven, tap the baking sheet on the stovetop once to cause cookies to fall a bit —this is what helps make the crackly top. Cool cookies on wire rack.

Enjoy :)

Pumpkin Donut Holes

Summer is over and Fall has officially begun. Yay for Fall. I love the crisp air, the coloured leaves, as well as all the flavours of fall —pumpkin, apple cider, squash, warm soups. Yummy.

It's my turn to host book club this month, so I decided to bake the girls some Fall treats. I chose pumpkin donut holes (aka. timbits). and some ginger cookies. Below is the recipe for the pumpkin donut holes —they're relatively easy and make for a fun and delicious Fall treat.


Here's what you'll need for the donut holes:

1 3/4 cup AP flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3/4 tsp allspice
1/3 cup canola oil or melted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup canned pureed pumpkin
1/2 cup milk

Here's what you'll need for the coating:
4 Tbsp salted butter, melted
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a mini muffin tin or alternatively a normal size muffin tin. If you use a normal size muffin tin, it will simply result in larger donut holes (they will almost resemble a small muffin). 

In a large bowl, whisk together oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin, and milk. Add the dry ingredients (AP flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice to the wet ingredients, and whisk until combined and smooth. 

Divide the batter evening among the muffin cups (this recipe makes 24 donut holes if using a mini muffin tray or 12 if using a regular muffin tray). Bake for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Again, if you're using the larger muffin tray, baking will take a few extra minutes.

While you're waiting for the donut holes to bake, melt the butter in a small bowl, and combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl.

Once the donut holes are finished baking, let cool for 5 minutes. Once cooled, dip each donut hole in the melted butter, then in the cinnamon sugar to coat. 

Ta-da! Enjoy :)