Raisin Bread

Bread
5 1/2 - 6 C bread flour
2 t yeast
2 1/4 C milk
1/3 C sugar
4 T butter
2 t salt

Filling
1/2 C sugar
1 T ground cinnamon
1 C raisins

Heat the milk and shortening in the microwave until just warm (115-120 degrees).  Add yeast to milk mixture and stir.  Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 5 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine 3 C of the flour, the 1/3 C sugar and salt.  Add yeast mixture and mix until well-mixed.

For stand mixer, add remaining flour and process with bread hook several minutes.  Let stand 5-10 minutes and process 10-15 more minutes.

If you don't have a stand mixer with a bread hook, turn out onto floured surface and kneed in remaining flour.  Let stand 5-10 minutes and then kneed 10-15 more minutes.

Place dough into buttered bowl, cover and let rise until double.  Do not place in warm place unless you are in a hurry.  The slower the bread rises, the better the texture will be.  You can even place in the refrigerator overnight.

Prepare raisins by covering with water and letting them steep until bread rises.  This will really plump them up and make them nice and juicy.  Mix together the 1/2 C sugar and cinnamon.  I like to put it in an empty spice jar with a shaker top to make it easier to distribute over the bread.

Punch the dough down and separate in half.  Roll dough to two 15x7-inch rectangles.  Liberally brush 1 teaspoon of water over each half.  Sprinkle with cinnamon mixture.  Drain raisins and sprinkle over the cinnamon mixture.  Roll into loaves, tucking under edges, as necessary.

Bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes.  For a crisp crust, brush with and egg white mixed with a couple tablespoons of water the last 15 minutes.  For a soft crust, brush with melted butter the last 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and remove from pans immediately.  Cool on wire racks.