Pumpkin Raisin Bread

DIRECTIONS

Mix together the flour, yeast, salt, cinnamon and sugar.

Sprinkle in and mix raisins with flour mixture.

Add the egg, melted butter/shortening and puree and mix to form a dough.

Generously flour a worksurface and your hands, and transfer dough to worksurface. Knead for 10 minutes until smooth. Sprinkle with a little flour at a time as you knead, if necessary.

Transfer dough to an oiled, large bowl, cover and place somewhere draft free and let rest for 2 hours until more than doubled in volume.

Brush two 9 x 5 loaf pans with oil and set aside.

Punch down dough and divide evenly. Shape into loaves as you please and transfer to pans. Cover loosely and let rise for 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F 25 minutes into the second rise, with the oven rack in the middle.

Transfer risen loaves to oven and bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until the top is brown and sounds hollow when tapped.

Remove and place on wire rack; let rest in pan for 10 - 12 minutes, then remove and cool completely on wire rack before slicing.

If using optional toppings:

Melted butter - brush loaves immediately upon removal from oven with melted butter and let rest in pan for 10 minutes before removing and cooling on wire rack.

Sugar crust - brush loaves immediately upon removal from oven with melted butter and then sprinkle generously with cinnamon-sugar. Let rest in pan for 12 minutes before removing and cooling on wire rack.

NOTE

The dough can be formed into rolls instead of loaves.