Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Challah Food

CINNAMON RAISIN SWIRL CHALLAH

Steps:

• Mixing and storing the dough: Mix the yeast, salt, eggs, honey, and melted butter (or oil) with the water in a 5-quart bowl, or a lidded (no airtight) food container.
• Mix in the flour without kneading, using a spoon, a 14-cup capacity food processor (with dough attachment), or a heavy duty stand mixer (with dough hook). If you're not using a machine, you may need to use wet hands to incorporate the last bit of flour.
• Cover (not airtight), and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours.
• The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 5 days. Beyond 5 days, freeze in 1-pound portions in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks. Defrost frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator before using. Then allow the usual rest and rise time.
• On baking day, whisk the brown sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl and set aside. Butter a loaf pan and set aside.
• Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1-pound (grapefruit-sized) piece. Dust the piece with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.
• On a lightly floured surface, form the dough into a loaf shape. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 1/4 inch thick rectangle (as close as possible). Use just enough flour to prevent it from sticking. If the dough resists shaping, let it rest for 5 minutes and try again. Sprinkle the brown sugar-cinnamon mixture evenly all over the top of the rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Top with the raisins. Roll up the dough, jellyroll-style, starting at one of the short ends, being sure to seal the bare edges.
• Allow the bread to rest and rise, covered, in the loaf pan for 1 hour and 20 minutes (or just 40 minutes if you're using fresh, unrefrigerated dough).
• About 10-15 minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 350-degrees F. Brush the loaf with egg wash and sprinkle with the raw sugar.
• Bake near the center of the oven for about 25 minutes. Smaller or larger loaves will require adjustments in baking time. The challah is done when golden brown and offers resistance to pressure. Due to the fat in the dough, challah will not form a hard, crackling crust.
• Remove the loaf from the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack.

CINNAMON RAISIN SWIRL BREAD

Steps:

• Place water, milk, shortening, salt, flour, sugar and yeast in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select cycle; press Start.
• If your machine has a Fruit setting, add the raisins at the signal, or about 5 minutes before the kneading cycle has finished.
• Take dough out after first kneading cycle has finished. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll out into a rectangle. Spread dough with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Roll dough, and divide into two parts. Place loaves in two lightly greased 9x5 inch bread pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Brush tops of risen loaves with melted butter and bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until crust is brown and loaves sound hollow when tapped.

CINNAMON SWIRL RAISIN BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Tear bread into 2" pieces, drop into a large mixing bowl and pour the milk over it.
• Toss gently until bread is coated.
• Let bread soak about 15 minutes.
• In a small bowl, beat eggs together with sugar until mixture is light yellow, smooth and thick.
• Add vanilla extract and pour this mixture over the milk soaked bread.
• Gently but thoroughly mix together until bread is evenly coated with the egg mixture.
• Transfer to a buttered 9" X 13" X 2" baking dish and place uncovered in another pan containing 1-2 inches of water.
• If you like a crusty top, dot with pats of butter.
• Place these dishes in the oven and bake until set, when a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour.
• Serve with some heavy cream!

CINNAMON-RAISIN SWIRL BREAD

Steps:

• Prepare the dough: Combine raisins and orange juice in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Drain raisins and place on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess moisture. Alternatively, combine raisins and orange juice in a small bowl and microwave for 20 seconds; let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
• Place cup warm water in a small bowl. Sprinkle over yeast and 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar and whisk to combine. Let stand until creamy, about 5 minutes
• Whisk together 3 1/4 cups flour, salt, and remaining tablespoon sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer. Attach dough hook, and mix on low speed, adding yeast mixture, milk, and egg. Increase to medium speed and mix until dough comes together, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. If dough does not come together, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time and up to 1/4 cup.
• Continue kneading for 10 minutes. Add butter and mix until incorporated and dough is smooth, 5 to 8 minutes. (Dough may come apart before coming back together.) Add reserved raisins and knead to combine.
• Meanwhile, butter a large bowl. Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface and shape into a ball. Transfer dough to the prepared bowl, turning to coat. Cover lightly with plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray and let stand in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 45 to 60 minutes.
• Place dough, topside down, on lightly floured work surface to deflate. Shape dough into a ball and return to the buttered bowl. Cover lightly with plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray, and let stand in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 45 to 60 minutes.
• Butter two 4 1/2-inch-by 8 1/2-inch loaf pans. Prepare the filling: Combine brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon in a medium bowl and stir to form a smooth paste. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
• Place dough, top side down, on lightly floured work surface to deflate. Pat dough into a 7-inch square using your palms and fingertips. Fold bottom edge two-thirds of the way up, and fold again so that the top edge meets the bottom edge as you would a business letter. Cut the dough in half crosswise with a bench scraper.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll half of the dough out into a 7-inch-by-13-inch rectangle. Spread dough evenly with half of the filling using an offset spatula. Roll dough to form a tight log and pinch to seal. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough in half lengthwise. Place one piece of dough, cut side up, on top of the other to form an "X." Working from the "X", twist dough together, pinching ends and tucking under dough to form a loaf. Transfer dough, cut side-up, to prepared pan. Repeat process with the remaining dough and filling. Alternatively, the loaves may be shaped by rolling to form a tight log before pinching ends, and tucking under.
• Cover each loaf with plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray. Let stand in a warm place until dough has risen 1 to 2 inches above edge of pan and an indentation forms when gently pressed with a fingertip, 45 to 60 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees (or 400 degrees for a convection oven) with rack set in the center.
• Remove plastic wrap and transfer pans to oven and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees (or 350 degrees for a convection oven) and continue to bake until deep golden-brown and they reach 190 degrees on an instant-read thermometer when inserted into the center of a loaf, about 20 minutes more. If browning too quickly, tent lightly with foil.
• Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly; turn out loaf. Brush top with melted butter and let cool almost completely before slicing.