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Bread & Pastries/cinnamon raisin bread

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Expert: Elyse Grau - 9/11/2010


Question
I love baking cinnamon raisin bread. It rises beautifully and looks great after it bakes.  But when I slice it, it always have a small to large gap in it. Still tastes great, but not very pretty.  What am I doing wrong?  Please help!

Answer
Dianna:
It's probably in the way you are shaping the loaf? Are you sprinkling the filling on the dough and rolling it up jelly-roll style? If so, be sure you do so tightly, pushing the dough with your fingertips as you roll. When finished, roll the loaf gently towards you, against your work surface to seal the loaf, and place it seam-side down.

The other possibility is letting it rise too long after it is shaped. It does not have to completely double, it should be just ready, meaning it doesn't spring back quickly when indented with a finger.

Elyse

Bread & Pastries

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Elyse Grau

Expertise

I can answer any questions about baking. The only thing I'm not too good at is baking pies, nor do I know much about high altitude baking.

Experience

I have been baking for over 30 years. One of my hobbies is creating recipes, most of those for baked goods. I made my own wedding cake. Currently I prefer to bake healthier things. I use a lot of whole wheat and other whole grain flours, and prefer to use less sugar or sugar substitutes in my baking. I do a lot with fruit.

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Hobby Farms Home Gardening How-to BackHome Creswell Chronicle

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none that apply

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