Recipe: Apple and Raisin Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Apple and Raisin Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Rec.food.cooking/Joel Ehrlich (1994)
Yields 2 Loaves

Basic White Bread:
1 cup milk, scalded
1 cup water
1 tbsp shortening
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp salt
1/4 cup water (105-115 degree)
1 pkg active dry yeast
6 1/2 cups flour, sifted

Filling:
3/4 cup raisins, washed
1/2 cup minced apple (peel first)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
butter, melted

Icing:
6 tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
hot water
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Scald the milk and add the water, shortening, butter, sugar and salt.

Combine the 105 degrees-115 degrees water and the yeast in a separate bowl. Allow the yeast to dissolve for 3 to 5 minutes (if using compressed yeast, crumble the yeast cake into 1/4 cup of 85 degrees water and let stand 8 to 10 minutes).

Add the lukewarm milk mixture to the dissolved yeast.

Stir half the flour into the liquid and beat for 1 minute.

Add the well rinsed and dried raisins.

Add the minced apple to the batter.

Work in the remaining flour by tossing the dough onto a floured board and kneading it well until the dough is smooth, elastic and full of bubbles.

Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk (at least 1 hour).

Punch the dough down to its original size.

Combine the sugar and cinnamon for the filling and mix thoroughly.

Divide the dough into equal portions and roll each portion out into a 14x9-inch rectangle.

Brush the surface of each rectangle with melted butter.

Sprinkle the surfaces liberally with the cinnamon sugar mixture and roll up as you would a jelly roll.

Place each roll in a greased, bright and shiny 9x5-inch bread pan and allow to rise until each has doubled in bulk.

Bake the bread for 10 minutes and reduce the temperature in the oven to 350 degrees. Bake 30 minutes longer and test the bread for doneness.

When done, remove loaves from pans and place on a rack and brush with milk.

Prepare the icing while the bread is baking:
Melt the butter in a skillet until golden brown. Carefully blend in the confectioner's sugar. Add hot water one tablespoonful at a time until the consistency of the icing is right for spreading.

Spread a liberal coating of icing on the top of each loaf.

Allow to cool.