BBA Callenge #9 Cinnamon Raisin Walnut Bread This is the 9th recipe,in Peter Reinhart's Book, cinnamon raisin walnut bread...how could I not love this bread.It's got some of my favorite ingredients.Have made a similar recipe, minus the nuts, wasn't really happy with it,and have not made one since ,(couple years?).  I have been very pleased,so have others, with the improvement of my breads using PR's methods,at least he explain's  what is going on with the flour and yeast when handled a certain way.My previous experience with my bread books was the recipe and just some notes on feel of dough,much has been a "Ok I don't got it yet" and finally OK ( after 6 breads or so) now I know how this (dough) is supposed to be.I believe most recipes, bread or otherwise,are written for someone who already knows what he heck they mean....I see it all the time on cooking shows, missrepresnting the correct way to do things.Such as,using a metal spoon to get a thick mixture out of a bowl, leaving ALOT behind,instead of getting a spatula and get it ALL.,chopping up something oily,( I know,It's tv,they stopped and cleaned,before the next shoot)But how it's shown is what the viewer SEES,I know someone will do the same thing and have an oily  bottom pan .Ok I'm going somewhere else,back to this recipe.  This again was a simple recipe,easy to follow,use nuts or not, ( I used walnuts) ,the dough was easy to handle,I did need to add an additional 4 oz of flour to achieve a tacky feel,kneading was on time with recipe.The only two notes I  think  would be, is make sure the raisins are well drained, as they still added some moisture and made the dough slightly sticky,took a while to get the raisins and walnuts kneaded in,the other,the 1/2 cup of sugar/cinnamon mixture,chose the swirl method, is WAY more than needed for the 2 loaves ( my opinion),actually used only half for both loaves,and will use the rest as a topping as sugested ( ok,maybe that's why it seems like too much). Since this was my first attempt to do a  complete photo progress, there is,as you will see in the photo,an error, has a full CUP of buttermilk,missread the quantity,wound up with a batter,what the.. ok, added flour till it was kneadable,kneaded,stuck into an oiled ziplock bag,popped into the fridge for a tommorrow experiment. Started again,went smoothly,only change to the recipe was I did not add the 1& 1/2 tsp of cinnamon ,as I was doing the swirl with cinnamon /sugar, thought that would be too much cinnamon taste,will know when we eat the bread. This is the ingreient shot:notice the cup of buttermilk,looks like I forgot to reset the date after putting in new batteries.

4:02:00 PM

by Jim Biscardi

after 6 minutes,ready to add raisins&walnuts
                                                   
Window pane 

                                         Walnuts & Raisins, ready to knead

                                              All incorporated

                                         ready to cover,let proof

                                         I think it's ready! proofed 2&1/2 hrs,had to go pick up the wife.

 

 Hmm, double exspsure,

                                      Cinnamon Sugar Added

 

Shaped and in the pans

Proofed and ready to bake

Buttering and adding cinn/sugar topping

                                                      Cooling ,smells wonderfull!

                                  developed some spaces,maybe didn't roll tight enough?

                                         As we ate our way to the middle,a tighter crumb, it is delicious
                                        and a bit sweet with the raisins and cinn/sugar.
                                       The crumb was light and tender.Tommorrow it will be firmer.
                                       I will deffinately make this again!Actually did,made another 2 loaves
                                         without nuts for my brother inlaw(alegeric).
                            Final note, I will add some cinnamon to the flour,perhaps not all 1&1/4 tsps
 when doing the swirl.In all this was a rewardingly delicious loaf.Makes an excellent gift!