CINNAMON CRANBERRY RAISIN BREAD

Steps:

• 1. Cut the cube of butter into lots of little pieces and toss with about 1 Tablespoon of flour. Set aside to soften.
• 2. In a small saucepan, heat the milk until steamy. This helps scald the milk, which kills enzymes that might inhibit yeast growth. (This is why the original recipe calls for dry milk, which I do not regularly carry. Dry milk is missing this enzyme.) Pour in the cool water which will help cool the milk. You want to make sure the milk is not over 110 degrees or it will kill the yeast.
• 3. In the bowl of a standing mixer, put the flour, sugar and yeast and whisk. Add the cooled milk/water mixture with the egg. Using a wooden spoon, start mixing the liquids with the dry goods. Add the dough hook and let it run on medium low until it is a cohesive mass, about 2 minutes.Cover with plastic wrap and let sit 20 minutes.
• 4. Turn the mixer on again and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes more. Now add the butter bits one at a time, mixing until incorporated into the dough. It will seem too slick at first but should absorb into the dough. If you absolutely need to, add a bit of flour to keep it from being too sticky. Add the raisins/cranberries and mix 1 more minute.Remove bowl from machine.
• 5. Using a bowl scraper, or rubber spatula, fold dough over itself by gently lifting and folding edge of dough toward middle. Turn bowl 90 degrees; fold again. Turn bowl and fold dough 6 more times (total of 8 folds).
• 6. For this loaf, put a pan of boiling hot water in a bowl or cake pan in the oven, cover the dough with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and place in the oven to rise for about 45 minutes. I like to prepare my loaf pans with parchment paper for this bread, in case it leaks and gets sticky. I just cut a piece to be as long as the loaf pan, then press it in, letting it overlap the sides. Then I can lift the bread out with the parchment.
• 7. After the first rise, take the dough out and gently deflate. Repeat folding steps 8 times, cover and let rise again 45 minutes. This is going to give it a fine crumb.
• 8. Whisk filling ingredients together and set aside. (I have never seen powdered sugar used in filling before. But it has corn starch in it, which would help keep filling in-tact.)
• 9. Divide the dough into 2 pieces.Roll the dough, one piece at at time, to about 7" x 18". Use a misting bottle to spray water over the dough. Then sprinkle half the filling over it and mist with more water, just to keep in intact, not runny. Roll up, pinch edges and work on the next one.
• 10. Before putting them in the pan, its time to twist! (the fun part). Lay one of the logs of dough in front of you. starting about 1 inch from one end, cut the dough in half down the long center. Gently turn the cut sides slightly up and start twisting them one over the other, round and round. Then seal the ends and place in the pans.
• 11. Cover and let rise (right on the counter tops this time) about an hour, until its about 1" above the loaf pan.Preheat the oven to 350. Mix your egg with a teaspoon of water or milk to make an egg wash and brush this over the loaves right before putting the oven.(you could sprinkle with some cinnamon sugar at this point, but keep in mind it will darken the loaves quite a bit.)
• 12. Place the loaves in the oven and bake until well browned about 25 minutes.(If it is getting too brown for your taste, lightly cover with a piece of aluminium foil.) Then reduce the oven temperature to 325 and bake another 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature reached 190-200 degrees.Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove to a rack to continue cooling. Slice it up and enjoy!