Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Ingredients

Bread:

• 2 C + 1½ tsp warm water
• 2½ tsp active dry yeast
• 5¾ C bread flour, plus more for dusting
• 2 Tbsp nonfat powdered milk
• 4 tsp sugar, plus more for sprinkling
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 C dark raisins
• Canola oil, for bowl and plastic wrap

Filling:

• ¾ C sugar
• 7 tsp cinnamon
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 large egg white, beaten

Directions

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine ¼ cup warm water and yeast. Let sit until yeast is foamy, about 10 minutes. Add flour, powdered milk, sugar, salt, 3 tablespoons melted butter, and 1¾ cups warm water. Mix, using the paddle attachment, on low speed for 1 minute. Change to dough hook, and mix on medium-low speed for 7 minutes. Or knead by hand, 15 or 20 minutes. Add raisins, and mix on medium-low speed until dough is firm but not dry, 3 minutes.
2. Transfer to a lightly floured surface, and knead by hand into a ball. Place dough, smooth side up, in a large, lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1½ hours.
3. Butter two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans generously, and set aside. In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon, and set aside. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface, and cut in half. Cover one piece of dough loosely with lightly oiled plastic wrap.
4. Press the other piece of dough into a 10-by-12-inch rectangle. Brush with half of the beaten egg, sprinkle with half the cinnamon sugar, and drizzle with half the melted butter. Rub the surface with the back of a spoon to blend butter and cinnamon sugar. Starting at a short end, roll up dough tightly, and pinch together along crease. Roll the dough back and forth to make it cylindrical, and pinch the ends together. Transfer to a loaf pan, seam side down, and cover loosely with lightly oiled plastic wrap. Repeat process with second piece of dough. Let loaves rise in a warm place, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Thirty minutes before this final rise is completed, place a baking stone, if using, in the lower third of oven. Heat oven to 425°.
5. Brush tops of loaves with egg white, and sprinkle each loaf with 1½ teaspoons sugar. Bake 15 minutes; lower oven to 400°, and bake 15 minutes more. Remove from oven; cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing.