Raisin bread with cinnamon swirl

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 450 g flour, type 550
• 50 g sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 packet of dry yeast or 1/2 cube of fresh yeast, crumbled
• 200 ml lukewarm water (amount depending on the size of the egg and dryness of the raisins)
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 egg(s)
• 75 g raisins
• 50 g sugar
• ½ tbsp cinnamon, ground
• Milk for brushing

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Rest time approx. 2 hours; Total time approx. 2 hours 20 minutes

Cinnamon swirl raisin bread

Combine flour, sugar, salt, yeast, water, oil, egg, and raisins in a bowl and knead with a stand mixer at medium speed for 3-5 minutes until you have a smooth dough. Without a stand mixer, this is a bit more difficult – a master baker once said to me, “If you have a sore arm, knead for another 5 minutes.” If using dry yeast, I recommend dissolving it in some of the water first. In my experience, it works better this way than if it is simply mixed into the dough dry. Cover the finished dough in the bowl with a bag, a plate, or a damp towel and let it rise in a warm place for about an hour. Then sprinkle some flour on the countertop and knead the dough vigorously by hand. Always work the dough from the outside toward the center, turning it slightly after each “folding.” This should create a closed “dough skin” on the outside (on the bottom) and a so-called “sealing” on the inside (on the top). After kneading, either place the ball of dough with the end facing down back in the bowl or simply leave it on the worktop and cover it again. Let the dough rest for 10-20 minutes so that it can relax again before being worked further. In the meantime, mix the cinnamon and sugar for the cinnamon strudel together and grease a 30 cm loaf pan. Lightly dust the worktop with flour again and place the ball of dough on it with the end facing up. First, flatten it with your hands, then roll it out with a rolling pin into a rectangle measuring approximately 60 x 30 cm. Brush it thinly with milk and spread the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over it, leaving a little space at the edges. Now, starting from the short side, roll the dough up not too loosely, tuck the sides under slightly to seal the dough there, and place it in the prepared baking pan. Cover the pan and let it rise until the dough extends slightly beyond the pan. This will take 45-90 minutes, depending on the temperature. Preheat the oven to 190°C and bring some water to a boil shortly before baking. Place the baking pan in the oven, pour some (about 1/2 cup) of the boiling water onto the bottom of the oven to create steam, and close the oven immediately (it’s much more effective than the famous cup of water in the oven). Bake the bread for 30-35 minutes, covering the top with aluminum foil after about 15 minutes to prevent it from overcooking. After baking, turn the bread out of the pan and let it cool on a wire rack. It’s especially delicious toasted with butter and jam!