Miller's Cinnamon-Raisin Bread

Contemporary Mennonite farmers take their harvested wheat to the local co-op and grain elevator. The co-op then sells the grain to places like Stafford County Flour Mills in Kansas, which makes this fine-crumbed bread with its all-purpose Hudson Cream Flour. Purchase the flour at www.staffordcountyflourmills.com, or use bread flour, as we did.

Yield: 14 servings

Ingredients

• 2/3  cup  raisins
• 1  cup  plus 2 tablespoons 1% low-fat milk
• 2 1/2  tablespoons  unsalted butter
• 3  cups  bread flour, divided
• 1/4  cup  packed brown sugar
• 1  tablespoon  ground cinnamon
• 3/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1  package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 2  large eggs, lightly beaten
• Cooking spray

Preparation

Place raisins in a small saucepan, and cover with water; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 15 minutes. Drain well.

Heat milk over low heat in a small, heavy saucepan to between 100° and 110°; remove from heat. Add butter to pan; stir until butter melts.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine 2 3/4 cups flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and yeast in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add warm milk mixture and eggs to flour mixture, and stir until a soft dough forms. Add raisins. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); add enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky).

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes.

Roll dough into a 14 x 7-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Roll up rectangle tightly, starting with a short edge, pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets; pinch seam and ends to seal. Place roll, seam side down, in a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until loaf is browned on bottom and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from pan; cool on a wire rack.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

164 (16% from fat)

Fat:

3g (sat 1.8g,mono 0.3g,poly 0.1g)

Protein:

5.5g

Carbohydrate:

30.6g

Fiber:

1.4g

Cholesterol:

37mg

Iron:

1.9mg

Sodium:

148mg

Calcium:

37mg