2 1/4cupsall-purpose flour, spooned and levelled, plus more, as needed
Filling:
1/2cuplight brown sugar
1teaspooncinnamon
3Tablespoonsbutter, cold, cut into 3 pieces
Raisins, about 1/3 cup
Whole glacé or maraschino cherries, red and/or green, about 20 total
Glaze after baking:
2Tablespoonswhite sugar
2Tablespoonshot water
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Instructions
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the kneading hook, add the lukewarm water. Sprinkle yeast over-top and let stand 5 minutes. Combine the milk and 2 Tbsp butter and warm, either in the microwave or a saucepan. Warm only to lukewarm (about 105F). Add milk/butter mixture to yeast. Add egg, sugar, and salt and mix to combine. Add 1 cup of the flour and mix in, scraping down bowl as needed. Add a 2nd cup of flour and mix in. Continue adding flour in small increments, as needed, until you have a moist dough that wraps around the hook and cleans the bowl well. Remove to a floured worked surface and knead 1 minutes, then form into a ball. Place in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled, about 45-60 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling by combining the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir to mix. Add 3 Tbsp butter to the bowl and using your fingertips, rub the butter into the brown sugar mixture, until you have an even crumb, with pea-sized pieces of butter. Set aside.
*If using maraschino cherries, place on a piece of doubled-up paper towel to sit, to drain off some of the liquid before using.
Prepare a 9x5-inch loaf pan by greasing or spraying with baking spray, then lining with a sheet of parchment paper, covering the bottom and the long sides and extending past the top by an inch or so. Set on a baking sheet and set aside.
Remove dough to a lightly floured cutting board. Deflate by pressing down on it. Roll into a rectangle about 10x15-inches. Scatter brown sugar mixture evenly over-top of the dough. Scatter with raisins and whole cherries. Starting from the long side, roll up jelly-roll style, lifting slightly as you roll, so you don't "snowplow" the filling as you go. Pinch the seam together. Using a sharp knife, cut the log into random 1-inch chunks. Scoop up the chunks and place into the prepare loaf pan. Re-arrange the top as needed, so you don't have any pieces sticking up too high, as they tend to over-brown. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about 30-40 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Bake loaf pan on top of the baking sheet (to catch any bubble-overs) for about 45 minutes, loosely covering the top with aluminum foil after 30 minutes of baking, to prevent over-browning. *Loaf will look done before it actually is. It will need a good 40-45 minutes in the oven to cook through, or if you have an instant read thermometer, test it in the centre. It should be at least 200F. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack. Mix together the sugar glaze and lightly brush onto the top of the loaf, for a little shine (optional). Allow the loaf to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
Store on the counter, well wrapped for a couple of days, or freeze for longer storage.