Cinnamon Raisin Bread--Hold the Raisins

First, I'd like to dedicate a moment of silence to my baking partners, Glenna, Jonathan and Kate, who have abandoned me to pursue non-yeast-oriented weekend activities. Yes, the Merry Bakers is a smaller band (of one) now, but like the heroes of yore I will persevere against the armies of darkness.

By which I mean, of course, the vast minions of Cooked Raisins.

Cooked raisins are an abomination. Bloated and squishy, cooked raisins are the zombies of the food world, resurrected from a pleasant dessicated existence to wreak havoc on your mouth. I know that some people like them, take pleasure in the way cooked raisins burst between the teeth, coating the tongue in rotten grape, but for me, raisins are the surest way to ruin a baked good. Almost like whole walnuts in a brownie, but that's a contentious issue for another occasion and, truth be told, I'll eat pretty much anything if it's surrounded by chocolate. Even, perhaps, a cooked raisin (it has happened; and woe betide my mouth).

Knowing that I would dislike the results of Reinhardt's original Cinnamon Raisin Bread, and not being charitable enough to bake it anyway and give it to friends, I switched the raisins for dried cranberries.

(I know what you're thinking: dried cranberries are just dried raisins of a different hue. Here, however, you are wrong. Dried cranberries cooked are tart and bright in flavor, unlike the sweet earthy cooked raisin. They also don't spray juice into your mouth when you bite down; instead, you get a chewy, fruity note that complements the subtle spicing in the bread.)

And the bread, true to all of Reinhardt's recipes, is really delicious. The cinnamon and sugar in the dough add enough sweetness to make this a nice breakfast loaf, but I just as happily ate the toasted slices with sharp cheese or almond butter. It would even make a nice turkey sandwich, especially with a thin layer of cream cheese. I did alter the formula slightly, by substituting roughly 1 1/4 C whole wheat flour for the white. That ended up being the right amount, as it didn't alter the density of the dough too much (though I did have to add more liquid) and it intensified the toastiness of the walnuts. I also felt a little better getting some whole grains into my system after a winter of Reinhardt's decadent white flour recipes.

However you cut or slice it, raisins or no, all white or partially so, this is a very lovely bread. Perfect for the Portland rainy season, when you just want to sit with a cup of chai and smell something delicious in the kitchen.

(Note: I'm not hiding a picture of the finished product out of shame; my camera needs batteries!)--Rhianna