Catalan Kitchen LogoThe Catalan Table
Cinnamon, Raisin, and Walnut Bread
A soft and aromatic bread with a hint of cinnamon, filled with sweet raisins and crunchy walnuts, ideal for accompanying a slice of butter in the morning.
vegetarian
oven
bread
breakfast
sweet
Ingredients
Servings:
4

Ingredients

  • 225 gbread flour
  • 10 gsugar
  • 4 salt
  • 6 fresh yeast from Paris or instant baker's yeast (must be yeast, not a leavening agent) or sourdough starter ??? (not tested)
  • 2 cinnamon powder
  • 30 gwhole blood
  • 25 gsoftened butter
  • 90 mlwhey (milk serum) at room temperature
  • 50 mlwater at room temperature
  • 120 graisins (soaked and drained)
  • 55 gwalnuts (crumbled, but not very small)
  • To prepare the whey
  • 125 mlwhole milk
  • 1 lemon (lemon juice)
Nutritional Information

Per Serving (Approx.)

Calories
942 kcal
Protein
12 g
Fat
16 g
Carbohydrates
119 g

Disclaimer: These values are estimates based on ingredient types and may not be precise.

Step-by-step Guide

To Prepare the Whey

  • Take a large container and pour in 1 liter of fresh milk. Heat it over low heat until the temperature reaches 37°C, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking to the bottom.
  • Add 1 teaspoon of liquid rennet to the warm milk and gently mix for 30 seconds with a wooden spoon. Ensure the rennet is well distributed.
  • Cover the container with a clean cloth and let it rest for 45 minutes at room temperature. This will allow the milk to separate into curds and whey, forming a jelly-like texture.

Prepare the Xerigot

  • Heat 125 ml of whole milk (or the desired amount) in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking to the bottom.
  • Squeeze the juice of one lemon, strain it to remove the seeds, and set it aside in a separate container.
  • When the milk reaches 85 ºC, pour in a dash of the reserved lemon juice while gently stirring with a wooden spoon. Add only the necessary amount of lemon juice until you see the milk begin to curdle and clumps form.
  • Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the mixture cool at room temperature. If preferred, it can be left to rest until the next day for better results.
  • Line a large colander with cheesecloth or a clean kitchen cloth and place it over a large bowl. Pour the mixture in to separate the whey from the curd.
  • The liquid collected in the bowl is the whey or milk serum, which can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
  • The curdled milk remaining in the kitchen cloth is the curd, which can be used immediately or stored in the fridge in an airtight container.

Preparation of Cinnamon Bread

  • Remove the butter from the refrigerator one hour before starting to prepare the bread, weigh the necessary amount, and leave it at room temperature to soften.
  • Mix the yeast with the buttermilk, ensuring that it completely dissolves.
  • In a large bowl (or stand mixer), combine the flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Stir well to ensure all ingredients are well integrated.
  • Add the lightly beaten egg, melted or room temperature butter, buttermilk, and part of the water. Mix on low speed with the K beater until the ingredients are integrated and a dough ball forms.
  • Do not add all the water at the beginning; this will allow you to adjust the total hydration according to the size of the egg.
  • Add the remaining (or part of) the water if necessary, or more flour if the dough is too dry or sticky.
  • Replace the K blade with the dough hook:
  • Knead for about 6-8 minutes at medium speed, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
  • Let the dough rest for 30 minutes in a warm place.
  • Knead for 30 seconds and let it rest for 10 minutes.
  • Repeat this process of briefly kneading and resting for 10 minutes four times.
  • The dough should be smooth and manageable, tacky but not excessively sticky. It should pass the windowpane test.
  • If the dough doesn't pass the windowpane test, let it rest for another 5 minutes and repeat the kneading and resting cycles until achieving the proper consistency.
  • If kneading by hand, turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes, until the indicated consistency is achieved. If needed, take breaks and knead intermittently.
  • Incorporate the soaked raisins and chopped nuts and knead gently just until they are evenly distributed. If kneading by machine, you may need to do this incorporation manually to ensure they are well distributed.
  • Let the dough rest in a bowl lightly greased with oil and covered with plastic wrap without touching the dough, until it doubles in size.
  • If using fresh yeast, the fermentation time will be about 2-3 hours.
  • If using dry baker's yeast, it may take 1.5-2 hours.
  • If using sourdough starter, the fermentation time can be up to 6 hours.
  • After resting, place parchment paper at the bottom of the mold and grease the bottom and sides with butter, then dust lightly with flour.
  • Prepare the cinnamon sugar mixture by grinding the white sugar with the cinnamon using a blender. Once ground, mix in the bread crumbs and set aside.
  • Turn the dough out onto a clean surface.
  • If making two loaves, divide the dough into two equal halves.
  • Gently roll out the dough into a rectangular shape approximately 13x20 cm and less than one cm thick, ensuring the short side is slightly shorter than the length of the mold.
  • Once the dough is rolled out, sprinkle over it the mixture of sugar and powdered cinnamon (blended), along with lemon zest and bread crumbs. This will prevent the layers of dough from sticking together, resulting in a visible swirl when the bread is sliced.
Recommendations & Tricks
  • Ensure that the raisins are well hydrated before adding them to the dough to prevent them from absorbing too much moisture during baking. You can soak them in warm water for about 15-20 minutes and then drain them well.
  • Lightly toasting the walnuts before adding them to the dough can enhance their flavor and offer a contrast of textures in the bread. Be careful not to burn them; you only need a few minutes in the oven or in a dry pan.
  • If you are using fresh yeast from Paris, dissolve it in a little warm water before adding it to the mixture. This ensures it is evenly distributed within the dough and improves the fermentation process.