whole wheat cinnamon swirl raisin bread

The week before Christmas, the baking frenzy starts in my kitchen - and typically, it's not cookies, but bread.  My favorite for the holidays is a cinnamon raisin swirl bread from a recipe I adapted from Country Living back when Jenna and Joe were little.  When each of my children were in Nursery School, I'd make a double batch and have each child in the class knead, roll and sugar their own small loaf to take home.  This bread is awesome right out of the oven, and makes great toast and delicious french toast, if there is any left!

whole wheat cinnamon swirl raisin bread

Heat in a medium saucepan until bubbly:

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1/4 cup honey

Add to milk and honey mixture and heat until hot, but not too hot to touch - hint: use a metal diffuser under the pot and ac candy thermometer to heat to the proper temperature:

1/2 cup butter (sorry, margarine just isn't the same!)

2 cups raisins

Meanwhile, combine in 1 cup glass measuring cup:

1/2 cup very warm water

1 tsp. honey

2 tbs. yeast (or two packets)

In a large mixing bowl - I still prefer a large crock, a wooden spoon and my hands - add the following:

milk mixture

2  eggs, beaten

yeast mixture

Mix and combine the following additional ingredients:

3 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

Gradually add in 3-4 cups white flour, moving the dough to a greased and floured counter surface when it's too hard to stir anymore.  Begin kneading, adding flour until dough is no longer sticky.  Grease the original mixing crock with cooking spray and return the dough to the bowl.

Let rise in a warm place, covered with a linen towel, until double the size.  

Grease 2 large bread pans (or 3 medium-sized pans, 6 small, or 12 midget-sized pans)

Beat down the dough and knead further.  Divide the dough according to how many pans you have prepared, and cover with a towel on a floured surface.  

On a greased and lightly floured surface, roll out each part to about 1/4 inch, long and narrow - the width a bit less than the length of your pan.  Brush with melted butter, then sprinkle liberally with cinnamon and white sugar.  Roll up tightly and place in pan with the seam on the bottom.  Slash the top every 3/4" and let rise in warm place under a towel until about double the size.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes for 2 - 5 x 9 bread pans - less for smaller pans.  Bread should release easily, be lightly browned, and sound hollow to tapping on the bottom.   Let cool on a rack or on their sides - bottoms will get soggy otherwise.

Drizzle icing made of water and confectioner's sugar on the top of cooled bread.