I spotted this recipe in the most recent “Inspire” issue of Anna Magazine. This magazine is created in Winnipeg, Manitoba and features great recipes and beautiful photographs. I have been a subscriber for the past year and it’s always a treat when it shows up in my mailbox. It’s available by subscription or you can find it at Chapters as well, I believe.
For this bread recipe, the bread dough is chopped up (monkey bread style), tossed in brown sugar and cinnamon and then baked in a bundt pan, so the sugar and cinnamon weaves it’s way through the bread. I used the basic recipe as published, but without the suggested overnight rise in the fridge. I know that most yeast doughs do benefit from a longer rise for the best flavour, but I was impatient and wanted to make it within one day. I opted for the standard double-rise to make it in one afternoon. Even without that extra rising time, this was a great bread with lots of flavour. If you have the time though (and the patience) or it fits better with your baking schedule, try the overnight rise. If not, you can certainly make this bread in a morning or afternoon.
One other change I made was to bake this bread in a bundt pan instead of the suggested springform pan. This change was for purely practical reasons. I just think it’s easier to slice a ring than a large round bread.
Finally, I decided to add an icing sugar glaze to my bread ring. I am always torn because the icing means the bread can’t be toasted, but I love the bit of sweet on top and I can always give it 10 seconds in the microwave to warm a slice instead of toasting.
Cinnamon Raisin Bread Ring
Summary: This bread both pretty and tasty. The bread dough is chopped up (monkey bread style), tossed in brown sugar and cinnamon and then baked in a bundt pan. It’s great for Sunday breakfast or afternoon tea or would be perfect for a special occasion buffet table. I like the bit of sweet from the icing but it is optional.
Ingredients
- For the dough:
- 1 cup milk
- 2 Tbsp. honey
- 1 tsp. dry active or instant yeast
- 3 cups bread or all purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp. butter, at room temperature
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 tsp. salt
- For the filling:
- 2 Tbsp. butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 3 tsp. cinnamon
- 5 Tbsp. brown sugar
- For the Icing
- 1 1/2 cups icing (confectioner’s) sugar
- 3 Tbsp. milk
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine the milk and honey and warm, over medium heat until the mixture reaches 100 to 110° F. Add the yeast and stir. Allow to stand for 5-10 minutes.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, butter, egg and salt. Add the milk/yeast mixture and with a dough hook at low speed, mix dough until a ball forms. Increase the mixer speed to medium and continue kneading until the dough comes together into a smooth ball, about 8-10 minutes (*Note, this is a moist dough. You can add a bit more flour if needed but resist the urge to add too much more. It will come together as the kneading continues).
- Oil a large bowl and place the dough into the bowl to rise. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to rise overnight OR let sit at room temperature until dough has doubled, about 1 hour.
- When dough is just about finished rising, combine the butter, raisins, cinnamon and brown sugar in a large bowl. Grease a bundt pan.
- Once dough is risen, turn out onto a floured surface and press down into a rectangle. Using a bench scraper or a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Place the dough bits into the large bowl with the cinnamon mixture and toss well to coat each piece of dough. Add the coated dough and any remaining bits into the prepared bundt pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature until doubled, about 1 hour (or longer, if you’re starting with dough that has been in the refrigerator overnight).
- Preheat oven to 375° F. Place the pan in the centre of the oven and bake, uncovered for 30-35 minutes or until crust is dark brown and crispy. Immediate remove the bread from the pan and cool on a wire rack.
- Prepare icing by combining icing sugar, milk and vanilla and stirring until smooth. (Add more milk or icing sugar as needed to get a consistency that will easily drop off a spoon).
- Once bread is cool, place a piece or waxed or parchment paper under the cooking rack and spoon the icing over the top, allowing it to spill down the sides. Allow to sit until the icing sets.
- Slice and enjoy with a bit of butter or re-warm a slice, in the microwave for 10 seconds or so.
Prep time: 20 min | Cook time: 30 min | Total time: 3 hours
Number of servings (yield): 12
Love the amendment! This look lovely
Thanks Jesica. I’ll definitely be making this bread again.