You can make this bread with either active dry or instant yeast. The instructions will work well for either. If you like, you can replace up to 2 cups of the flour with whole wheat. This recipe will yield two loaves and this bread freezes well.
2/3cupwarm water, 110-115 degrees for active dry, slightly warmer for instant yeast
3tsp.active dry or instant yeast
2eggs
1/3cupwhite sugar
2/3tsp.salt
1/3cupunsalted butter, softened
2/3cupraisins
5 1/3cupsall-purpose flour
Filling:
2Tbsp.milk
2/3cupwhite sugar
2Tbsp.ground cinnamon
1 1/3Tbsp.butter, melted
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Instructions
Warm the milk in a small sauce pan on the stove until it just starts to bubble, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool until lukewarm, about 120-125° F. if you have a thermometer.
In a large bowl or bowl of stand mixer, dissolve yeast in warm water and let stand until yeast is frothy, about 10 minutes. Mix in eggs, sugar, butter, salt and raisins. Slowly stir in the cooled milk. Add the flour gradually, adding just enough to make a stiff dough (adding more if necessary).
Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface (or in stand mixer) for a few minutes until smooth.
Place in a large, greased, mixing bowl and turn dough in the bowl to grease the surface of the dough well. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine 2/3 cup white sugar with 2 Tbsp. of ground cinnamon. Set aside.
Divide the dough into two equal pieces. Place one piece on a lightly floured surface and roll into a rectangle about 8 inches wide and 12-13 inches long. . Brush the dough with 1 Tbsp. of the milk. Sprinkle one-half of the cinnamon/sugar mixture evenly over the moistened dough. Sprinkle one half of the raisins evenly over the dough. Roll up tightly (starting from the short end). Seal seam and place into a greased 8×4-inch loaf pan. The roll should be about 3 inches in diameter. Repeat with second piece of dough.
Spray a piece of plastic wrap with non-stick spray and cover loaves. Let rise in a warm place for about an hour, or until loaves have risen about an inch above the edge of the pans (measured in the centre).
Bake in a pre-heated 350° F. oven for 40- 45 minutes or until loaves are lightly browned, sound hollow when tapped or reach an internal temperature of 200° F. (*Check at the 30-35 minute mark and cover loosely with foil if loaves are sufficiently browned at that point.)
Remove from oven and let cool in pans on rack for 15 minutes. Brush tops of loaves with melted butter. After 15 minutes, remove loaves from pan and allow to cool completely on cooling racks before slicing.