More Adventures in Breadmaking

I am happy to announce that I have not bought a loaf of bread since before the beginning of the new year. I hope to be able to say this come December 31st, 2010!

I have been baking bread every 3 to 4 days.

This weekend I also tried English Muffins...they were a winner!

One of our favorite breads is Cinnamon Raisin Walnut Loaf....it makes a delicious breakfast bread (which is about the only time that we eat it....that and Hubbs has it for an evening snack)

I thought I would share the recipe with you....it is definitely yummy!!

Cinnamon Raisin Walnut Bread

(recipe from Peter Reinhart's "The Bread Baker's Apprentice)

2 1/2 Cups bread flour (I use King Arthur's Organic Bread Flour)

1 Cup whole wheat flour (I use King Arthur's Organic Whole Wheat Flour)

4 tsp. sugar

1 1/4 tsp. salt

2 tsp. instant yeast (I use SAF instant yeast....from King Arthur's catalog/website)

1 1/4 tsp. cinnamon ( I am a little more generous with the cinnamon)

1 large egg, slightly beaten

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup milk (at room temp.)

3/4 cup water (at room temp.)

1 1/2 cups raisins (I use organic)

1 cup chopped walnuts

Stir together the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, then add yeast and stir. Add egg, butter, milk and water. Mix well. I use my Kitchenaid mixer with the dough paddle to mix.

Then I switch to the dough hook to begin kneading. It is at this point that I add the raisins and nuts. Continue to knead with mixer for a couple of minutes.

Then transfer dough to a floured surface to finish kneading for a total of 10 minutes kneading.

Place dough in a slightly greased bowl to rise....cover bowl with a kitchen towel and allow to rise at room temperature until dough is double in size (about 2 hours).

Transfer dough to floured surface and press into a rectangular shape.

Sprinkle with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon and then roll dough into a log. Tuck ends under and place in greased 2 lb. bread pan. Cover with plastic wrap.

Allow to rise so that loaf fills pans to all four sides and top is adequately risen above the level of the pan.

Uncover and use a pastry brush to apply an egg wash to the surface of the loaf (I use a beaten egg for the egg wash)

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. (I throw 1/4 cup of water into the bottom of my oven to make steam for the first part of baking.) Then rotate pan 90 degrees and continue to bake for another 15 to 20 minutes. Bread should be nicely browned. Remove from oven, remove from pan and allow to cool on a rack until room temperature.