Cinnamon Raisin Bread

It has been a while since I posted a bread recipe, and wit the changing of the seasons, I have had a desire for more baking.  This cinnamon raisin bread is not overly sweet, but it has a wonderful aroma that is warming and comforting.  As a reminder, baking is a science, but there are many variables that can change depending on geographic location and time of year.  I am in a high-altitude area that is very dry, so my dough has a higher water content than others.  If your loaf does not turn out how you desire, play with the water content and rise times to make your own unique recipe.  Let me know how it goes!

Ingredients

• 2 cups water, warm
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 2 tsp. active dry yeast
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. cinnamon, ground
• ½ cup raisins

Method

1. Dissolve sugar in water
2. Add yeast to water and set aside to bloom
3. Once bloomed, add flours, cinnamon, and salt in the same bowl and mix
4. Mix until well-combined
5. Let dough sit in bowl with damp towel on top to rise for 1-3 hours
6. With a damp hand, pull dough and fold over 4-5 times to form a dough mass
7. Form dough into a ball and let sit in bowl with damp towel to rise for another 1-3 hours
8. After the dough has risen, fold in the raisins and let rise for another 4 hours
9. When the dough is ready to bake, shape bread into desired loaf shape
   1. Try to keep all the raisins inside the loaf instead of peaking through the skin of the bread
10. Place bread on parchment sheet as oven and cooking vessel preheat to 450°F
11. Score and place bread on parchment into cooking vessel
12. Bake in oven for 30 minutes covered
13. Bake for an additional 15 minutes uncovered
14. Let rest for 10 minutes after taking bread out of oven
15. Serve and enjoy