Glad my notes about muffin mix got through...sent this before that one, but
perhaps to wrong address. Would really love for Frank to know that his bread
is a HUGE hit in Milwaukee. (The next time I made it -- after my husband and
son ate through the remarkable yield in just a long week -- I placed most of
the dough on the back corner of my butcher block while forming one of the
loaves. Imagine my surprise to find it "walking" off of the edge, clearly
heading hungrily for the raisins which were waiting to be turned into
Christmas breads. Frank .... this is an AWESOME dough!)
Here's a really old family recipe you can try. My great-grandfather John
Bender immigrated to Washington DC from Germany in the mid-to-late 1800's.
He established a bakery in "Foggy Bottom" and I'm fortunate to have quite a
number of his recipies (written out in his own hand). Now that I have a
place to share, I'll try to get back into them and decode them for home use.
MEANWHILE, here's a great raisin bread recipie that my grandfather (John's
son) made well into his 80's. He always baked it in a flared, fluted tube
pan, but I'm sure it will taste fine baked in a loaf. The dough is VERY rich
and heavy, be sure to let it rise in a warm place or, for your first try,
make it on a nice warm day. You may be tempted to use white raisins, but the
traditional dark ones make a lovely pattern against the rich yellow bread.
2 packets instant dry yeast (or 2.5 Tblsp)
1/2 cup very warm water
1.25 cups warm milk
1 cup sugar
1 Tblsp salt
5 eggs (room temperature), beaten to blend
15-oz box of raisins
1 cup butter (soft, at room temperature)
1 tsp. lemon extract
6-7 cups flour
Proof yeast in warm water; dissolve sugar and salt in warm milk. Combine
yeast & milk mixtures, whisk in eggs. Add raisins, butter, extract, and
enough flour to form a kneadable dough. (The butter will incorporate itself
as you work in the flour, IF it was nice and soft to begin with.) Let the
dough rest, covered with the work bowl, 15 minutes.
Knead the dough until smooth and elastic. (This is a lovely dough to work
with, much like Challah, very rich and smooth.) Let rise until double in
bulk; press down, turn over and let rise again until doubled. As the dough
is very rich in eggs & butter, the rise times can be pretty long ... be sure
the dough is in a warm, draft-free place and covered.
Shape into loaves or rings. Let rise to the top of the pan. Bake
approximately 50 minutes, until well browned. (This dough is so heavy that
the "sounds hollow when tapped" isn't as distinctive as it is with regular
doughs.)
This is great served warm or toasted. Grandpa (who endured a variety of
dietary restrictions in his old age) carefully meted himself one piece each
morning, dipping every bite carefully into his coffee before enjoying. Have
fun with it!