BREADS - RAISIN CHALLAH BREAD

FOR THE DOUGH

One ¼-ounce package active dry yeast or 2 ½ teaspoons

1 ½ cup lukewarm water (90F-100F)

¼ cup sugar

1 ½ tablespoons kosher salt

1/3 cup vegetable oil, plus more to grease the bowls and loaf pans

2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

4 1/3 cups bread flour, plus more if needed

1 ¼ cups raisins

FOR THE TOPPING

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ cup sugar

MAKE THE DOUGH

In the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the yeast and the warm water.  Stir until the yeast is dissolved.  When the water begins to bubble, stir in the sugar, salt, vegetable oil, and eggs.

Add about one-third of the flour.  Beat the dough on medium speed for about 5 minutes, adding the remaining flour in two more batches and occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl.  Add the raisins, and beat for another 5 minutes on medium speed.  Don’t worry that the raisins will get pulverized:  that won’t happen when you use the dough hook.

Stop beating and check the consistency of the dough.  It should be starting to come together, but not be overly sticky.  If it is too sticky, add a couple more tablespoons of flour and beat for another minute or so.

Brush two large stainless steel bowls with some vegetable oil.  Divide the dough into 2 equal-size balls.  Place 1 ball of dough into each of bowls.  Cover each bowl with a clean kitchen towel and allow the dough to rise in a warm place until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.

Lightly oil two 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pans.

Place the balls into the greased pans, cover them with a clean kitchen towel, and allow them to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 350F.

MAKE THE TOPPING

Stir together the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl.  Sprinkle the topping evenly over the loaves.

Bake the loaves for 30 to 35 minutes, or until they are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Remove the loaves from the oven and cool in pans for 15 minutes.  Remove the loaves from the pans and transfer to a wire rack.  Cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.  

MY NOTE: (1) I use 2 teaspoons salt (2) This dough can be made totally by hand, knead the dough for about 8 minutes and it might take a little more flour (3) To avoid clean up, put a large piece of foil under the loaf pans because as the loaves rise, the cinnamon sugar can spill out onto the oven floor and burn. 

From Bubby’s Brunch Cookbook by Ron Silver with Rosemary Black.