California Raisin Gourmet Bread Mix

This bread is so good and so versatile. You can use it to make raisin bread, frosted cinnamon rolls, and raisin cinnamon buns.

• Answers to Your Questions
• Bakers Notes
• Making Cinnamon Rolls
• Making Raisin Bread Pudding

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This raisin bread is different! What makes it better?

This is not your ordinary raisin bread. It has more raisins, plumper raisins, and a better grade of cinnamon.

We get the cinnamon from a bakery supply house, a better cinnamon than you can get in the store. Better cinnamon always makes a magical difference.  

But the secret ingredient is the orange. It's like a touch of sunshine. It's subtle. You'll barely taste it, but it's warm, a real difference maker.

"This bread is fabulous--TOPS!! It couldn’t be better!"  --Wendy Hankins

"My husband loves raisin bread, but he is very particular about the taste. Not too sweet, not too crumbly, crust not too hard. This bread mix has come out perfect. For the win!!"  --Martha Yungk

"It's soooo good. Perfect amount of cinnamon and raisins. My husband eats it every am and dessert at night."  --Teri Garrett 

Answers to Your Questions

Is this another homemade bread like Country Farm White? Yes, it's very close. That's the base mix. We added raisins, cinnamon, sugar, and the orange. 

So, is this as soft and light as Country Farm White? Yes.  It's very close to the same recipe with other goodies added.

What does it taste like? Well, you get raisins in every bite. It's naturally sweeter. The orange is a background flavor--kind of a fruity orchard flavor. The combination is delightful.

What do I have to add to the mix? Water and butter. The yeast is in a packet in the mix. Be sure to cut the packet open and add the yeast to the other ingredients.

In the reviews, I see bread at 190 degrees. What is that all about?  They baked their bread in the oven rather than a bread machine and tested it with a thermometer to see if it was done. 190 degrees is the temperature that bread needs to reach to be baked.  

When testing for doneness with a thermometer, test in multiple places and press the probe all the way to the center.

Well, they said they tested at 190 degrees and the bread was doughy. What happened?  Bread is a science. It didn't get to 190 degrees. The thermometer wasn't accurate. In our test kitchen, we check our thermometers regularly and adjust them if needed.

Why not bake it to 200 degrees to be sure?  You can, but your bread will be a little drier. The longer you bake it, the more steam escapes from the bread.

How do you check your thermometer? Set it on the counter, next to a new one, still in the packaging.  The reading should be the same.  On most thermometers, there is a nut on the back you can turn to adjust the thermometer reading.

Dennis Weaver

Baker's Notes

We use bakers' grade fresh raisins matched with select cinnamon we can find, and complemented with the flavor of California oranges. The raisins plump up in baking.  The cinnamon is much better than that found in grocery stores--a quality Korintje cassia cinnamon imported from Indonesia that really makes a difference.

This is a very aromatic raisin bread and will smell wonderful baking in your kitchen.

"I love this bread!!!! Generous in raisin content and not overpowering with cinnamon. Plain is delicious and toasted with butter is yummy!!! I did add 1 extra tablespoon of water as my bread machine suggested to make the crust softer which worked very well. Great mix!!!!" -Jannynet

Don't miss this sunny California bread!  

Making Cinnamon Rolls or a Cinnamon Loaf

How would I make cinnamon rolls or a rolled cinnamon loaf?

Roll it into a rectangular sheet 1/4-inch thick. Spread a heavy coating of butter over the dough and then sprinkle the filling over the butter. 

Starting with the long edge, roll the dough tightly. Pinch the edges to the dough to seal the filling.

If you're making cinnamon rolls, cut the log into 12 slices, position them in a well-greased 8 1//2 by 11-inch pan in a three-by-four roll pattern, and bake.

If you are making a loaf, roll it starting from the short side and form it into a loaf in a 9x5-inch loaf pan.

For the Professional Frosting on the Loaf

3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon meringue powder or one egg white
1/2 teaspoon lemon, vanilla, or almond extract
milk

Frost the bread while it's still warm but not hot.

In a medium bowl, mix the powdered sugar, meringue powder, and extract.  Add 2 tablespoons milk.  Stir to mix, adding more milk as necessary but not more than one teaspoon at a time. 

The frosting should be so thick that it will not quite drop from the spoon.  When you frost the bread, the heat of the warm bread will soften the frosting further and allow it to flow slightly.  The frosting will set as the bread cools. 

Slice the bread after it has completely cooled.

Making California Raisin Bread Pudding

This is a delightful bread pudding. We made it in little ceramic bowls, but you could also use ramekins or a six-cup baking dish. In a baking dish, you may need to increase the baking time—just test it with a knife for doneness.

Ingredients

2 large eggs
2 cups milk
2/3 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or rum flavoring
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 slices of California Raisin Bread cut into 1-inch cubes

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, milk, maple syrup, flavoring, and salt.  Whisk together well.
2. Stir in the bread cubes.  Let sit for 5 minutes.
3. Turn into six buttered one-cup ramekins or bowls.  Set the bowls in a large baking pan of water.  Pour hot water into baking pan to a depth of about 1 1/2 inches.  Bake for 45 minutes at 350 or until a knife comes out clean.
4. Let cool in the bowls.  Once cool, use a soft silicone spatula to loosen the pudding from the ramekins.  Turn the puddings onto individual plates for serving and drizzle with the sauce.

Baker’s notes: Cooking times may vary substantially depending on the pan, the water added, and the water temperature.  The pudding will be done when the eggs are set.  The knife test is simple and reliable.

We used a soft, thin spatula to loosen the puddings from the ramekins, turned each pudding into the palm of our hands, and then reinverted them onto serving plates.  It was easy and simple.

For the sauce

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 cup cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Melt the butter in a pan.  Stir in the cornstarch.  While stirring and over medium heat, drizzle in the cream.  Add the granulated sugar and stir until dissolved. Cook over medium heat until the mixture is thickened and bubbly.

California Raisin Bread Pudding baked in a pan and then added to serving-sized bowls.  

Centennial Valley, Montana, in October. Image by Merri Ann Weaver