Use your discard to make a soft, fragrant, flavor-packed loaf for breakfast, tea-time, or snacking. Sourdough Rum Raisin Cinnamon Bread is full of soft, juicy raisins, and a swirl of cinnamon-sugar runs through the loaf. I use a mixture of whole-wheat and regular flour in the loaf, which increases the nutritional content. The bread is simple and perfect to make if you work from home, as it can be mixed up and tended to in minutes periodically during the day. I soak the raisins with a mixture of rum extract and water, which flavors the raisins as well as the bread. If you'd like to use actual rum, you can, but the extract is less expensive and will impart a stronger flavor. I generally leave the loaf plain, which facilitates popping slices in the toaster later in the week. If you'd like to apply a glaze to the top of the loaf, feel free. A glaze would dress up the bread and add extra sweetness.
Sourdough Rum Raisin Cinnamon Bread -- Makes 1 Loaf
1 cup sourdough starter/discard
2 tablespoons of dried milk powder
1/4 cup of canola oil
1 large egg
1/4 cup of sugar
1 cup of whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup of raisins
1/4 cup of water
1/2 teaspoon of rum extract
1 cup of all-purpose flour, plus extra to knead
1 teaspoon of salt
2-3 tablespoons of very soft butter
2 tablespoons of confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons of dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
In a large bowl, combine the starter/discard, dried milk powder, canola oil, egg, sugar, and whole-wheat flour. Loosely cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let the mixture sit for at least an hour (I usually leave it for 3-4 hours, i.e., until lunch time). Meanwhile, combine the raisins, water, and rum extract in a cup and microwave them for 30 seconds or until hot. Set the raisin mixture aside and let it cool to room temperature.
When you're ready and the dough mixture has been sitting for at least an hour, stir in the cooled raisins and water/rum mixture. Add 1 cup of all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon of salt. Knead the dough for 3-5 minutes, kneading in about 1/4 cup of additional flour. Pat the dough out into a rectangle about 1/2-inch thick (about 9- X 10-inches or so). Rub the softened butter over the top of the dough. Sprinkle on the confectioners' sugar, the brown sugar, and the cinnamon, and roll up the dough, jelly-roll style, and tuck the ends underneath. Place the rolled-up dough in a loaf pan spritzed with non-stick cooking spray. Spritz the top of the dough with non-stick cooking spray. Cut 3-5 slashes across the top of the dough, making the slashes about 1/4-inch deep. Cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap and let it sit until it rises by 1/3-1/2 in volume. My kitchen is cool (65-68 degrees), so it takes several hours.
Bake the risen dough in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes to an hour or until a thermometer inserted into the middle of the loaf reads about 190 degrees. Let the bread cool completely before slicing it for neater slices (the bread also will keep longer if you let it cool before slicing). Enjoy!
Love this bread! Very good flavor