Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Bread - Quarantine 2020

From the beginning of this crisis, I started to make sourdough. It was out of necessity and I am happy I did. Yeast became like gold. Making bread when you can't leave the house became the normal thing to do. That was in March 2020. Now nine months later, I am still keeping my starter going, just in case. It makes for a lot of disregarded starters so I have been trying to use it as much as possible. I know I could refrigerate it but it is just too traumatic to remember to feed it. Things get lost in the back of the fridge, right?

So I was looking for a way to use my starter in my bread machine. I recently bought my bread machine on sale, and low and behold, I am in love. It is a little Sunbeam Bread Maker. I am physically challenged in my old age to stand for long times and to knead the bread, thanks to severe arthritis. You get old, you rust. I decided to get a machine after watching Jamerril Stewart at the "Large Family Table."

I have used this machine on the dough cycle so many times already and she has only lived here a few months. If you are on the fence about getting one I say "do it."

I made a lovely sourdough-based cinnamon raisin bread I found on the King Arthur Flour website. I have written it up for you below. We loved this one. 

The image below is from after the dough cycle and first rise. Rolled out, egg washed, and covered in cinnamon sugar.

Then add the raisins:

Then roll up and place in a bread pan:

As you can see, this is a wonderful recipe.

Ingredients:

Wet in the bottom of the bread machine:

1/2 cup (113g) sourdough starter, ripe, fed, or discard
2/3 cup lukewarm water
1 large egg - lightly beaten
5 tablespoons butter (71g)

Dry ingredients on top, in this order:

3 cups (361g) flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast

The filling:

1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons flour
1 egg beaten with 1/2 teaspoon water
1/2 cup raisins (74g)

Method:

For the dough:

Combine all dough ingredients, use mixer, or hands, or bread machine on the dough cycle. With the bread machine, use the manufacturer's suggested method of adding ingredients, in my case wet ingredients first then dry. Make a well on top and add the yeast. Use the dough cycle.

For normal uses (no machine) place in a greased bowl and let rest till doubles - 1 1/2 - 2 hours. 

To make the filling:

While the dough is rising make the filling. Combine sugar, cinnamon, and flour. 
Once dough is finished the first rise, gently deflate and roll or pat the dough into a rectangle 6" - 20". Brush the dough with the egg-water mixture. Sprinkle the filling on the dough. Leave a 1" space on one of the narrow ends clear of filling so you can roll the dough and seal easier. 

Start with a short end that is covered with filling and roll into a log, sealing and pinching at the other end.

Transfer seam side down to 9" - 5" loaf pan, cover and let rise 1" over the rim, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350*.

Bake 40-45 minutes. After 15 minutes, tent with foil. The internal temp should be 190* when done. 

After removing from the oven, gently loosen edges of loaf and turn out of the pan. Brush with butter if desired. 

Here is a link to the article by King Arthur Flour: 
https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/cinnamon-raisin-sourdough-bread-recipe

I hope you enjoy. 

Stay safe, stay home, and help where you can.

~Cookin Mum~