Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough

Here we have a classic bread — sourdough-ized!

Unlike the classic version you buy at the store, this version does not have any added sugar or fat (hence, the lack of a swirl, which is usually made with butter, sugar, and cinnamon). Moreover, we won’t be adding cinnamon directly to the dough. Due to its anti-microbial properties, cinnamon can kill the yeast in sourdough, so bakers have to be careful when adding cinnamon to dough. (Trust me, I’ve made this mistake).

What we are going to do is soak the raisins in cinnamon water overnight. This will infuse the raisins and liquid with cinnamon flavor without adding the spice directly to the dough. The cinnamon flavor is less pronounced than the sweeter swirly version in which the sugar and fat are carrying much of the flavor, but the cinnamon infused raisins add just the right amount of cinnamony sweetness without this veering into dessert territory.

Most of my recipes are no-knead, but, unfortunately, we will also be doing a tad bit of kneading in this recipe. Firstly, the dough will be a little dry before adding the raisins, so we will knead to first build the gluten. Then, once we add the raisins, we will have to knead them in. As the raisins are wet, this will get a little messy, but just keep working at it and the dough will come together. It’ll be worth it!

If you’re looking for a no-knead method to add dried fruit, check out my mango sourdough recipe.

I like to make a peanut butter cinnamon toast with this bread—a riff on the more cinnamon butter toast we ate as kids. I just top off the toast with peanut butter, cinnamon, and a sprinkle of turbinado sugar (plus, a handful of parsley—trust me), and VIOLA, you’ve got yourself a healthier version of a nostalgic breakfast.

Yield: 12

Author: Elissa D'Aries

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Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 40 MinInactive time: 23 HourTotal time: 24 Hour

Ingredients

• 150 grams raisins
• 10 grams cinnamon sticks (about 4 sticks)
• 425 grams water
• 100 grams active sourdough starter*
• 7 grams salt
• 125 grams white whole wheat flour*
• 375 grams bread flour

Instructions

1. The night before, soak raisins and cinnamon in the 425 grams of water. The measurement of water is important as it's the water that will go into the dough.
2. The next day, mix the active sourdough starter, water from the raisin cinnamon soak (it will be about 300 grams), and salt in a large mixing bowl (2.5 quart is ideal).
3. Add the white whole wheat and the bread flour and mix, mix, mix until it becomes a shaggy dough.
4. The dough will be a bit stiff, so gently knead the dough with your hands until it forms a ball. Cover and allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes. This will develop the gluten.
5. After 30 minutes, start adding your raisins. Add in a few handfuls at a time and gently knead the raisins into the dough. The dough will get a bit messy as the raisins are wet but keep going until the raisins are all incorporated. If the dough becomes too wet to work with, add a little bit of flour while kneading. Once the raisins are incorporated, allow the dough to rest for a second half hour.
6. After another 30 minutes, perform your first stretch and fold. You will notice that, while the dough is still a bit rough, it will start to come together at this stage. Take one corner of the dough and stretch it out as far as you can without ripping the dough. Stop when you feel the dough start to tug back. Fold this piece over onto the dough. Continue for all four corners. Allow to rest for another 30 minutes.
7. After 30 minutes, perform the second stretch and fold in the same way you did the first. Wait another thirty minutes and perform your third stretch and fold.
8. If you are uncertain if the gluten has developed, perform a windowpane test. Stretch the dough until you can see light coming through it. If it breaks, then the gluten needs more development, and you can perform a fourth stretch and fold. If it doesn’t break, then you can start the bulk fermentation (or first rise).
9. Allow the dough to rise for 4-8 hours. The amount of time the dough needs to rise will depend on the strength of the starter, the temperature, and the flours used. Keep in mind that the cinnamon water will also cause this dough to rise slower. The dough should double in size (if using a 2.5 quart bowl, it will nearly fill the bowl).
10. Once the dough has risen, it is time to shape it. Take your dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Flour your hands and fold it into a ball (for a boule) or oblong (for a batard) shape. Make sure to roll it tightly, so it holds its shape!
11. Place the dough into a lined banneton or bowl with a tea towel inside. Cover and let it proof in the fridge for at least four hours or overnight.
12. Once ready to bake, place your Dutch oven with lid on in the oven. Preheat oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow to preheat for at least thirty minutes.
13. Once your Dutch oven is preheated, take your dough out of the fridge and place on a parchment paper or silicone mat (this is to transfer the dough into the Dutch oven without burning yourself, so make sure that the parchment paper or silicone mat can fit into your Dutch oven!).
14. Score your dough with a sharp razor. You can simply score a cross for a boule or a line right through the middle for a batard. With practice, you can make fancier scoring patterns, but I suggest starting simple.
15. Carefully place the dough into the Dutch oven. Put the lid back on the Dutch oven and place back into your preheated oven. Turn down the temperature to 450 F and bake for twenty minutes.
16. After twenty minutes, remove the lid from the Dutch oven and lower temperature to 420 F. Bake for another 20 minutes.
17. After the second 20 minutes, check your crust. *The crust on this bread darkens quickly due to the sugars in the raisins breaking down into the dough* If it is brown enough to your liking, take the bread out of the oven and cool. If you want more browning on the crust, you can bake for a few more minutes or alternatively, turn off the oven and allow the bread to cool inside the oven. The latter will result in an extra crusty bread.
18. Allow your bread to cool for at least one hour before cutting into it. (The bread is still technically cooking as it cools, and you will ruin the crumb if you are impatient).
19. Enjoy your delicious sourdough bread! It will last 5-7 days stored in a cloth bread bag or tea towel. If you can't finish the bread in that time, I suggest slicing the portion you don't think you'll finish, putting it into a freezer safe bag, and storing it in the freezer.

Notes

Supplies

2.5 Quart Mixing Bowl with Cover

Fork for mixing

Kitchen Scale

Banneton (Can use a bowl lined with a tea towel)

Dutch Oven (Or other baking vessel with lid)

Silicone Mat or Parchment Paper

Razor (or Lame)

• You might use more or less sourdough starter based on the temperature of your room. Use more sourdough in the winter and less sourdough in the summer if the temperature of your house fluctuates.
• White whole wheat flour is simply a lighter version of whole wheat flour. You can use regular whole wheat flour in place of white whole wheat flour if you do not have access to it.