Raisin Bread
- 2 c. water
- 2 c. raisins
- 6 c. flour
- 2 pkg. yeast
- 1 c. plus 1 Tbsp. sugar
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 2/3 c. cooking oil
- 2 tsp. salt
- cinnamon sugar (thoroughly mix together 1 c. sugar and 2 Tbsp. cinnamon)
- Combine water and raisins.
- Bring to boil.
- Cook at rolling boil about 3 minutes.
- Drain raisins and reserve liquid.
- Spread raisins on paper towel to drain.
- Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup of the warm raisin water.
- Sift 6 cups flour into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in center.
- Pour yeast mixture into well.
- Sprinkle the 1 tablespoon sugar over yeast mixture.
- Cover with towel and let rest 30 minutes.
- Mixture should be bubbly.
- Add eggs, oil, salt and remaining 1 cup sugar to yeast mixture.
- Mix well.
- If necessary, add enough water to remaining raisin water to make 1 cup.
- (Mixture should be warm.)
- Gradually add it to flour mixture. Add raisins.
- With floured hands (dough will be sticky), turn dough out onto floured surface.
- Knead until smooth and elastic, working in more flour, if necessary to make a soft dough.
- Place the dough into an ungreased bowl.
- With fingertips, pat a small amount of oil over top of dough.
- Cover tightly with damp cloth and let rise in warm place until indentation remains when fingertip is pressed into dough.
- It will take dough more than 1 hour to double in bulk because it is heavier than conventional bread dough.
- Thoroughly punch down dough.
- Cover with damp cloth and let rise again until double in bulk, 45 minutes or longer.
- Punch down dough.
- Divide dough in three parts.
- Roll each part on lightly floured surface into a rectangle, about 9 x 6-inches.
- Divide cinnamon sugar into thirds and sprinkle over each rectangle.
- Roll each rectangle, jelly roll fashion.
- Place each roll in a greased loaf pan, 9 x 5-inches.
- With fingertips, spread a thin coating of softened margarine over each loaf.
- Sprinkle top with additional cinnamon sugar, if desired.
- Cover with cloth.
- Let rise until double in bulk.
- Bake in oven preheated to 350u0b0 for 15 minutes.
- Reduce heat to 325u0b0.
- Bake about 25 minutes longer or until done.
- (Dough also may be made into rolls in any desired shape.)
water, raisins, flour, yeast, sugar, eggs, cooking oil, salt, cinnamon sugar
Taken from www.cookbooks.com/Recipe-Details.aspx?id=186822 (may not work)