Buttermilk, cinnamon-raisin bread ideal for feast

March 19 is the Feast of St. Joseph. St. Joseph is the spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the foster father of Jesus. He is also the patron of the Catholic Church.

The tradition of having a St. Joseph’s Day table originated in Sicily in medieval times. Loaded with many kinds of breads to share with everyone, this is a tradition that many Catholic churches and private homes still follow to this day.

Buttermilk bread is yet another recipe from “The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.” As with every recipe in this book, this recipe does not require any kneading and is very simple and quick to throw together.

If you do not have buttermilk, a homemade substitute works great. Simply place a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar into a liquid measuring and add enough milk to make 1 cup. Stir gently and wait at least 5 minutes before using.

While there are many ways to “correctly” use yeast when baking bread, I’ve found that sprinkling the yeast lightly over the surface of the warm water works best for me. This ensures that the yeast is evenly distributed on the water, and it gets moistened evenly. I don’t stir the yeast into the water unless the recipe specifically calls for it.

Becasue this bread uses sugar, which reacts with the yeast, you may notice a slightly sour smell. This is completely normal and will disappear as the bread bakes and cools.

Cinnamon-raisin bread, a simply delicious classic, is also really easy to make. You can use whatever bread dough you wish, even frozen bread dough.

It is very customizable as well. You have to adjust the amount of sugar to personal preference or use brown sugar. You can add other spices. You can even add other dried fruits such as dried cranberries.

Soaking your raisins is optional. Ever since I learned about soaking raisins to reconstitute them a little, I try to soak my raisins whenever I have time. Soaking them just ensures the maximum amount of juiciness. Although it sounds a little counter-productive, just make sure to drain the raisins well. If your raisins are dripping water, this will probably make your bread bake unevenly — it may not bake completely.

Bread pan size is also optional. You can use normal size pans or large pans or mini loaf pans. Just remember that baking times will vary. Remember to let the bread cool completely. Bread continues to bake as it cools and it may not appear done if you slice into it too early.

Happy Feast of St. Joseph.

Francesca Ullmer, the second child of a large homeschooled family, is from the Krakow area. She enjoys baking, reading, knitting, raising goats, and entering numerous items in the Oconto County Fair.

CINNAMON-RAISIN BREAD

2 lbs. buttermilk bread dough, or other plain bread dough

Sugar

Cinnamon

Approx. 1 cup raisins

If desired, soak raisins in water for about 10 minutes or until plump. Drain well on paper towels. Divide dough in half and using enough flour to prevent sticking, roll into a long rectangle. Sprinkle on desired amount of sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle on drained raisins. Starting at a short end roll dough up jelly-roll style. Pinch edges and ends together, and tuck the ends under to form an oval loaf. Place in greased loaf pans and let rise for 60-90 minutes. Brush with melted butter. Bake in a 375-degree oven for 35-45 minutes or until golden. Brush with melted butter. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes then remove from pans and let cool completely on a wire rack.

BUTTERMILK BREAD

2 cups lukewarm water

1 cup buttermilk

1 tbsp. yeast (active dry)

1-1½ tbsp. salt

1½ tbsp. sugar

6½ cups flour

Pour water into a large bowl. Sprinkle yeast on top and let sit for about a minute. Add the buttermilk, salt, and sugar and mix gently with a wooden spoon. Add in the flour until mixture forms a loose ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for approximately 2 hours. The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise but it is easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 5 days. When ready to bake, dust surface of dough with flour. Divide the dough in half – shaping each dough half into a ball. Stretch each ball slightly into an oblong shape and place in greased 9x5 inch loaf pans. Cover loosely and let rise for about 60 to 90 minutes. Brush with melted butter and bake at 350 degrees for about 35-45 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter immediately after taking out of the oven and let bread cool in pans for 10 minutes. Then, remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.