Brown sugar cinnamon bread
Yes, we know. Yeast. Y’all are terrified of it. No matter; we will keep rolling out the yeast-y recipes, to the tired tune of “working with yeast is not that hard.” Modern instant dried yeasts are foolproof, unless you throw boiling water over them in which case you’re totally cooked. As it were. Bread is therapeutic to make; getting in there with your hands is tactile and pleasing but even if you use a machine to do the hard work (no shame in that; we do), you still get the thrill of watching your dough rise. And aside maybe from sizzling bacon, there’s nothing more appealing than the warming smells of bread-y things baking, filling your house with literal comfort; it’s an aroma that’s been known to sell real estate, melt hearts and generally lower cortisol levels. It’s hard to be stressed out when there’s a loaf of hot homemade bread to anticipate. And so to this recipe. It’s really just your simple white loaf, tarted up with a swirl of sugary, raisin-y filling. Delish.
MAKES 1 x 27cm loaf
150ml lukewarm milk
60g (¼ packed cup) brown sugar, plus extra, for sprinkling
1 x 7g sachet dried instant yeast
50g butter, melted, plus extra, for greasing
2 eggs
410g (2¾ cups) plain flour
1 tsp salt
11/2 tsp vanilla extract
Filling
150g (¾ cup, lightly packed) brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
50g softened butter
170g (1 cup) raisins, chopped
Place the milk in a large bowl with 1 teaspoon of the brown sugar, then sprinkle over the yeast. Stand for about 8 minutes or until foamy, then add the butter and eggs and whisk until combined well. Stir in the remaining brown sugar, then add the flour and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon until a rough, soft dough forms, then turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface. Knead for about 8 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic; the dough will be quite soft. Alternatively, knead it using an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Place the dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, then stand in a draft-free place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Meanwhile, generously grease the base and sides of a 27 x 11cm loaf tin, then sprinkle with brown sugar to coat well.
For the filling, stir together the sugar, cinnamon and butter in a bowl until well combined. Using your fist, gently deflate the dough, then turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll it out until it measures about 38 x 25cm. With a long side facing you, sprinkle the butter mixture over the dough, leaving a border of about 1.5cm. Sprinkle over the raisins, then roll the dough up, Swiss roll fashion. Transfer the roll to the prepared loaf tin, pressing it in to fit. Loosely cover the tin with a slightly damp kitchen towel, then stand for 1 hour or until it has risen and puffy; the dough will not double in size.
Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 180°C. Bake the loaf for 55-60 minutes, or until cooked in the middle, covering the top with some foil if it browns too quickly. Cool in the tin for 20 minutes, then turn it out on a wire rack to cool completely. The bread is best eaten fresh on the day it is made, but will keep, sealed in a plastic bag or plastic wrap and refrigerated for 4-5 days. It will be perfect toasted. Any leftovers will also keep, frozen, for up to 6 weeks.