(Adapted from The Bread Baker’s Apprentice)

Yield: 2 loaves

Ingredients

3 + ½ cups all purpose flour, plus extra for work surface

4 heaped teaspoons white granulated sugar

1 + ¼ teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons instant yeast

1 + ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 egg, room temperature, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons (1 oz) vegetable shortening, melted

1 cup warm whole milk (110 degrees F)

¼ cup warm water (110 degrees F)

1 + ½ cup raisins, rinsed and well drained

Directions

1. Mix together the flour, sugar, salt, yeast and cinnamon. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture.

2. Pour in the egg, milk and water to the flour mixture and mix to make a dough.

3. Dust a work surface with flour. Turn the dough onto the work surface and knead for 10 minutes. Sprinkle lightly with flour as needed so that the dough does not stick.

4. Sprinkle in raisins 2 minutes before the 10-minute kneading is done. Spread the dough out creating a flat surface, sprinkle liberally with raisins. Fold one corner of the dough over, sprinkle with raisins, fold another corner, and sprinkle with raisins. Repeat by folding the dough onto itself and sprinkling with raisins until you have added all of the raisins and continue kneading to take you up to the 10 minutes. Don’t worry if you have a few raisins that fall way, just push them onto the dough.

5. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl. Rub a little oil on top of the dough to prevent a skin forming. Cover with plastic wrap and place somewhere warm and draft free. Let proof for 2 hours or until doubled in size.

6. Once risen, punch down the dough, divide in half, form into loaves and place in 8 ½ by 4 ½ – inch loaf pans that have been brushed with oil. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and put in a warm place to rise for an hour or until the dough crests above the lips of the pan.

7. Bake in a 350 degrees F preheated oven for 20 minutes. After this time, rotate the pans 180 degrees and bake for another 20 – 30 minutes or until lightly browned and the bottom when rapped, sounds hollow.

8. Immediately remove loaves from pan and cool on wire racks. Let cool for 2 hours before slicing bread.