What is it with me? I really seem to like wordy titles! Oh, I guess I could have called this Apple Cider Bread, but to leave out the cinnamon and raisins? That would be miss-leading you. And I don’t want to do that. I have been on an apple cider kick these last few weeks. I think every week we have been buying a gallon, and I believe I drink most of it. And, I keep coming up with recipe ideas. Failed recipe ideas- I might add. I’ve used apple cider in 3 different recipes. One- I got everything I wanted from the recipe- but the taste (what fun is a recipe if you can’t taste the main ingredient?). Boo. Oh well- I’ve put that idea on the back burner. The other recipe- well, I wanted to keep it pure apple cider, but…it also is going on the back burner.
So maybe what they say- third time’s a charm- really is true. This recipe came out wonderful. The apple cider gives a nice sweetness to the bread, and you can’t go wrong when you add cinnamon-sugar and raisins before you roll the dough (or in my case- 1 loaf has raisins, 1 loaf has chocolate chips!).
Apple Cider Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Makes 2 loaves
2 packets of active dry yeast (1/4 oz packets)
2 1/4 cups apple cider, divided, warmed to 110- 115 degrees
8 tablespoons butter, divided, melted
7 cups bread flour (can substitute all-purpose flour)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups raisins
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
In a stand mixer (with a dough hook), sprinkle yeast over 1/2 cup cider. Whisk to combine and let sit for 5 minutes until the yeast is foamy. Add 4 tablespoons melted butter and remaining apple cider. Add in salt and slowly add in 3 cups of flour. Note: if you want raisins throughout the dough, and in your raisins now. If you want the raisins in the cinnamon swirl, set the raisins aside!
With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the remaining flour, 1 cup at a time, till the dough forms a ball (will be sticky). Lightly dust your counter with flour (or flat work surface) and dump out the dough. Knead for 5 minutes.
Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and put your dough ball in. Cover with plastic wrap (not tightly) or a tea towel and let rise for 1 hour. Note: my house is cold, so I put the bowl in a bathroom with a heater on low to medium.
After 1 hour, punch down dough and divide in half. Grease 2 loaf pans (I line mine with foil and grease with cooking spray).
Make your cinnamon/sugar mixture…in a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Mix well.
Roll out your dough to roughly an 8×10 rectangle (I didn’t get out the ruler, so I know mine wasn’t exact). Saving 1 tablespoon of your melted butter for the tops of the loaves, brush the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter on your rectangles. Sprinkle on the cinnamon sugar mixture, and also sprinkle on the raisins (if you didn’t add them to the dough earlier) (or add chocolate chips!). Roll your rolling pin over the raisins lightly- this will push them gently into the dough so they don’t all fall out while you roll up the dough!
Starting with the short end, roll dough. Pinch ends and place seam side down in your prepared loaf pans. Brush the tops with the remaining butter and let rise 1 more hour.
While the dough is rising, preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Right before you put the loaves in the oven, turn the temperature down to 400 degrees. Bake the loaves for 20 minutes. Rotate the loaves and bake another 15-25 minutes. The loaves are done when the tops are golden brown and when you tap on the top of the loaf- it sounds hollow. (total bake time is around 35-45 minutes). Remove from oven and let cool (at least a half hour). Note: If you slice into it right now, all that cinnamon sugar goodness is going to ooze out…so you need to wait! Enjoy!
What’s your favorite- raisins or chocolate chips- added into bread?
Made with love, not calories!
Wordy indeed :D. Sounds lush though, wouldn’t want to leave any of them out!
My thoughts exactly!
Raisins!!
You could add raisins to the dough AND to the cinnamon sugar swirl. Double dose!!
You and those freakin’ chocolate chips!
It’s an addiction!
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