Cinnamon Raisin Bun

It's been a long, long time since I last baked breads. It's school holiday now and my teens are at home. That means there must be some food at home to fill hungry stomachs, especially for my growing son. Lots of time on my hand since I don't have to teach the kiddies during this school holiday and I can't golf because I injured my elbow - hairline fracture. Thought that I can golf all I want this holiday. Sigh ... What else can I do? Bake .... 

I have been wanting to try my hand at baking cinnamon raisin bun for some time but was too lazy to do it. Baking bread needs patience. Kneading, proofing, resting, proofing, baking. You can't hurry the process. But the wait and patience is worth it. Imagine the sight and smell of fresh bread out of the oven. It's best to eat them immediately - so soft and fragrant.

This recipe is taken from my favourite 65 degree C 汤種面包 by Yvonne C. 

Cinnamon Raisin Bun 

Ingredients:
(A)
210g bread flour
56g plain or cake flour
20g milk powder
52g caster sugar
1/2 tsp salt
6g instant yeast

(B)
30g eggs
85g water
84g tangzhong (汤種)

** To make tangzhong, mix 1 part bread flour to 5 parts water in a saucepan over medium heat. Keep whisking gently until temperature reaches 65 degree celsius (you can see whisk marks appearing). Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature before using. The balance tangzhong can be stored in the fridge for 1-2 days. Place a clingwrap over the tangzhong to prevent evaporation before storing in fridge.

(C)
22g unsalted butter

(Filling)
25g caster sugar (I reduced the sugar from 30g to 25g)
1 tbsp cinnamon powder
80g raisins soaked in rum or any alcohol

(Topping)
60g icing sugar (I reduced the sugar from 70g to 60g)
1 tbsp water
Handful of almond chips, baked

Use the balance egg as eggwash for the bread

Method:

1. Add ingredients in (A) into a mixing bowl and whisk gently to distribute the ingredients evenly.
2. Add ingredients (B) to above. Start on low speed to mix the dry and wet ingredients. Change to medium speed after the dry and wet ingredients are moistened evenly.
3. Change to low speed and add in ingredients (C) after the above comes together into a smooth dough.
4. Once all the butter has been incorporated into the dough, increase to medium speed and knead until the dough leaves the mixing bowl, becomes smooth and shiny. At this point, do a “window pane” test. Take a small portion of the dough and stretch it thin until you can see light shining through it and the torn edges are smooth. Once it has reached this stage, you can stop.
5. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and shape it into a round ball. Place it in a greased bowl big enough to hold it.
6. Cover tightly with plastic wrap over the bowl. Let it proof at room temperature for 40 minutes or until doubled.
7. To test if the dough has risen to the right state, sprinkle some flour onto your finger and dip your finger vertically into the centre of the dough. If the dent you have created stays, it is ready. If the dent bounces back, proofing is not complete yet.
8. Remove the dough from the greased bowl and place it on a floured surface top. Roll the dough out into a rectangle about 25 x 40 cm. Flip the dough over and roll it out to the same dimension again.
9. Mix the caster sugar and cinnamon until evenly mixed. Sprinkle them evenly on top of the dough, followed by the raisins.
10. Start rolling the dough from the top side down (roll along the longer edge facing you), like a swiss roll. Seal the edges together at the bottom.
11. Cut the rolled dough into 8 equal pieces.
12. Place the cut-up dough onto a floured rectangular baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and let it proof for 40 minutes at 38 degree celsius.
13. Preheat the oven at 180 degree celsius.
14. Brush the top of the dough with whole eggwash. Place the baking sheet at the bottom third of the oven and bake at bottom heat 180 degree celsius and top heat 150 degree celsius for 15 minutes.
15. Remove the baked bread from oven. Using a spoon, sprinkle the icing sugar mixture (stir the icing sugar and water together) over the hot bread. Sprinkle the baked chopped almond chips over the bread.
16. Enjoy the freshly baked bread.

Note ** If your oven does not have separate top and bottom heat temperature setting, you can use aluminium foil over the baking sheet if the top heat is too hot and the top of the bread browns too quickly.