Cooking is an art that can be enjoyed by everyone. One of the most rewarding ways to express yourself in the kitchen is through baking, and one of the most loved recipes around the world is raisin bread. This sweet and savory bread is a favorite for breakfast, snacks, or any time you're craving something a little sweet and very satisfying. Here's a complete recipe for making your own raisin bread at home.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of raisins
- 1 cup of warm water
- 2 tablespoons active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 5 to 6 cups of wheat flour
Step by Step:
1. Start by preheating the oven to 180°C. Meanwhile, place the raisins in a small bowl and cover with hot water. Soak the raisins for about 10 minutes, then drain and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine warm water and yeast. Let it rest for about 5 minutes, until the yeast starts to foam.
3. Add the warm milk, sugar, eggs, melted butter and salt to the yeast mixture. Stir well to combine.
4. Begin adding the flour, one cup at a time, stirring after each addition. Keep adding flour until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
5. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes, adding more flour as needed, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
6. Add the drained raisins to the dough and continue kneading until the raisins are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
7. Place the dough in a large greased bowl, turning the dough to grease the top. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.
8. After the dough has risen, knead it briefly to remove any air bubbles. Divide the dough into two equal parts and shape each part into a loaf. Place the loaves in two greased loaf pans.
9. Cover the tins with a clean tea towel and let the buns rise for another 30 minutes, or until they double in size.
10. Bake the loaves in the preheated oven for about 30-35 minutes, or until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the underside.
11. Let the loaves cool in the tins for about 10 minutes, then remove the loaves from the tins and let them cool completely on a wire rack.
Congratulations, you've just made delicious homemade raisin bread! This bread is perfect for toasting and serving with butter, or for making a sweet and savory sandwich. Enjoy your creation!
This recipe is a classic example of how rewarding baking can be. There's nothing quite like the smell of fresh bread baking in the oven, and the taste of homemade bread is incomparable. So the next time you have a little extra time, why not try making your own raisin bread? You might be surprised how easy and fun it can be!
