Spiced Homemade Raisin Bread

Slices of buttered raisin toast with bite mark. Sitting on grey plate.

Recipe by Molly
at missmollymakes.com

5 from 2 votes

Indulge in the aromatic allure of homemade raisin bread. Bursting with warm spices, plump wine-soaked raisins, and a tender, moist crumb. Deliciously comforting!

Prep Time25

Cook Time30

Rising Time1 20

Servings: slices

Calories: 243kcal

Equipment

large bowl or stand mixer
saucepan
loaf tin lined with baking paper

Ingredients

Fruit

135 g (1 cups) raisins or sultanas
62 mls (¼ cup) red wine
50 g (¼ cups) brown sugar
82 mls (⅓ mls) water

Dough

300 g (1.20 cup) water warmed
6 g (2 tsp) instant yeast
135 g (⅔ cups) brown sugar
465 g (3.1 cup) bread or plain flour
5½ g (1 tsp) salt
1 tsp (1 tsp) ground cinnamon
½ tsp (½ tsp) ground ginger
½ tsp (½ tsp) ground allspice
½ tsp (½ tsp) ground cardamom
½ tsp (½ tsp) ground nutmeg
¼ tsp (¼ tsp) ground clove
65 g (½ cup) lightly salted butter softened

Extras

1 (1) egg whisked

Instructions

Make the dried fruit mix

Place dried fruit, wine, sugar and water into a small saucepan. Place on low heat, (covered if possible) and simmer until fruit is plump and a majority of the liquid is absorbed. Set aside to cool completely.

Make the dough

In a large bowl, add the water, yeast, and sugar. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes for the yeast to activate.
Add flour, salt and spices then stir until combined. I like to use a chopstick to stir, but a spatula or spoon will do. The dough will be a little scraggy but cover and set aside for 30 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate.

Mixer Method (see notes for makign without a mixer)

Using the stand mixer and dough hook, knead the dough on medium speed until it is smooth and elastic. The dough will be sticky but be patient, it may take 7-9 minutes but the dough will start to clean the sides of the bowl when stretched thin, it should become see-through without breaking. This is called the window-pane test.
Add the butter and fruit mixture and continue to knead as it incorporates, and becomes silky and smooth for about 3-4 minutes. Set dough aside at room temp, covered until it doubles in size.

Shaping

Take the dough and use your hands or a rolling pin to stretch it into a rectangle. Aim for the width of the rectangle to be nearly the same length as the loaf pan. Roll the rectangle up from the short side, like a Swiss roll. Lay the dough in the prepared loaf pan.
Cover the tin and allow the dough to rise and double in size. Place it in a warm spot for 1-2 hours at a temperature of around 25°C/ 77°F. See the tip above for proofing in an empty microwave.

Bake

Once it has nearly risen to the right size, preheat the oven to 180°C/350 °F.
Use a pastry brush to liberally brush the loaf with egg wash. This will help create a nice shiny crust.
Bake the loaves for 30-35 minutes until a deep golden brown colour on the top.
If you notice the bread browning too quickly, gently cover it with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning. Once baked, the loaf should feel light and produce a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom. To ensure it's fully cooked, check that the internal temperature reads between 88-94°C/190-200°F using a thermometer.
Remove the loaf from the tin and allow it cool on a wire rack before slicing and serving. Best served toasted with slather of butter.

Notes

Non-Mixer Method:

Every 10 minutes do stretches and folds. Use your hand (wet lightly with water) to take one edge of the dough, stretch it upwards, and then fold it toward the centre of the bowl. Turn the bowl and repeat until all of the dough has been stretched. Cover then repeat this process 3- 4 more times with a 15-minute break between each. You'll know when the S&Fs are finished when the dough completes the 'window pane test'- when the dough is stretched thin and becomes see-through without breaking.
Spread the butter over the dough and continue to do 1-2 rounds of stretch and folds until it incorporates, becoming silky and smooth. If making multiple flavours divide the dough now, place it into separate bowls and fold in desired mix-ins. If making 1 flavour, add mixins with butter.
Set dough aside at room temp, covered until it doubles in size.

Nutrition