Baking Raisin Bread - Soft, Sweet and Full of Currants

There is something magical about a slice of raisin bread with a thick layer of butter. That soft, lightly sweet crumb, the juicy currants sitting in exactly the right spots, and that smell drifting through the whole house while it bakes. Raisin bread is a true Dutch classic - and in the bread maker it is easier to make than you think.

But there is one trick that makes the difference between a good raisin bread and a great one: how you prepare the currants and when you add them. Put them in the dough too early and they get kneaded to pieces and turn the whole loaf gray. Handle them wrong and they come out dry and hard.

In this article we explain everything - from plumping the currants to choosing the right program. With tips from experienced home bakers who have already pulled hundreds of raisin loaves out of their machines.

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What you need

Ingredients (for 1 loaf of approx. 850g)

About the currants: Use good-quality currants - preferably not the cheapest ones on the shelf. Good currants are plump, dark and a little glossy. They make all the difference.

Equipment

• Bread Maker (any brand - see the program table below)
• Kitchen scale
• Small bowl for plumping the currants
• Clean tea towel or paper towel

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Preparation: plumping the currants

This is the step many bakers skip - and that is exactly why their raisin bread disappoints. Yes, it is an extra step. No, you cannot skip it. No more than you can ignore the alarm on a Monday morning. By plumping the currants (letting them sit briefly in warm water) they turn juicy and plump. Then you pat them dry so they do not add extra moisture to the dough.

Here is how to do it:

1. Put the 150 grams of currants in a small bowl
2. Pour boiling water over them, just until they are covered
3. Let them sit for 10 minutes - no longer, or they get too soft
4. Drain off the water and pat the currants dry with a clean tea towel or paper towel
5. Sprinkle a tablespoon of flour over the currants and give them a quick toss - this keeps them from sticking together and helps distribute them evenly through the dough

The currants are now ready to add - but not to the dough yet. First we make the dough.

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Step by step: baking raisin bread

1. Liquids first

Put into the bread pan:

• 200 grams lukewarm milk
• 1 beaten egg
• 40 grams soft butter in small cubes

Stir briefly so the egg is mixed through the milk.

2. Add the dry ingredients

Add in this order:

• 400 grams wheat flour, spread evenly over the liquid
• 40 grams sugar, scattered over the flour
• 5 grams salt, along the edge (not in the middle where the yeast will go)

3. Yeast last

Make a small well in the center of the flour. Put 7 grams active dry yeast in it. The yeast must not come into contact with the liquid or the salt.

Check your dough

After 10 minutes of kneading: take a moment to see whether your dough has the right consistency.

• Too wet? Add flour, 10 grams at a time, until the dough no longer sticks to the wall
• Perfect? The dough forms a smooth, supple ball - firm but elastic
• Too dry? Add water, 10 ml at a time, until the dough is supple and smooth

Note: Sweet dough with egg and butter always feels a little softer and stickier than plain bread dough. That is normal - do not add extra flour too quickly.

4. Add the currants at the beep

This is the crucial moment. Your bread maker gives a beep when it is time to add extra ingredients - usually after the first kneading cycle. Add the plumped and patted-dry currants at this beep.

Not before. If you put the currants in the dough from the start, they get kneaded to pieces. They turn the dough gray and lose their structure. At the beep they get kneaded through the dough just enough to be distributed well, while keeping their shape.

Missed the beep? Then briefly open the lid and add the currants anyway. Let the machine keep running for a bit so they get distributed. You do need to do this before the rising phase begins.

5. Start the program

Select the sweet-bread program on your machine (see the table below for your brand). Choose the weight that comes closest to your recipe and set the crust color to light or medium. For sweet bread, light is often better - the sugar in the dough already adds extra browning.

6. Remove from the pan right away

As soon as the program is done, take the bread out of the baking pan right away. Raisin bread is especially prone to condensation - do not let it cool down in the pan. Set it on a rack and wait at least 30 minutes before you slice it. We know the smell of fresh raisin bread is stronger than your willpower, but try anyway.

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With your bread maker

You bake raisin bread on the sweet-bread program. This program has a slightly longer rising time and a lower baking temperature than the basic program - exactly what you need for a dough with sugar, butter and egg.

Panasonic has no dedicated sweet-bread program. Use program 1 (basic) on light crust. Times may vary by model variant. Note for the Fornello Supremo: program 2 supports the automatic dispenser. Put the currants in the dispenser and the machine adds them at the right moment - you do not have to wait for the beep. The Essenza has no dispenser - add the currants manually at the beep.

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Common mistakes

1. Not plumping the currants

Dry currants pull moisture out of the dough, which makes the bread drier than intended. On top of that, unplumped currants stay hard and chewy. Plumping takes you 10 minutes and makes a world of difference.

2. Adding the currants too early

Never add the currants with the other ingredients at the start. The kneading hook grinds them up, and the juice turns the dough gray. Always at the beep - or through the dispenser on the Supremo.

3. Not drying the currants after plumping

If you add the currants to the dough wet, you unintentionally add 30-50 grams of extra moisture. That can make the bread too wet and cause it to collapse. Always pat them thoroughly dry.

4. Too much sugar

It is tempting to add extra sugar for a sweeter bread. We get it - more is more, right? Not in this case. At high concentrations sugar slows the yeast down and speeds up the browning. Stick to the 40 grams in the recipe. Want it sweeter? Then add a tablespoon of honey instead of extra sugar.

5. Setting the crust color to dark

Because of the sugar, butter and egg, raisin bread browns faster than plain bread. On the "dark" setting you get an almost burnt crust. Choose light or medium.

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Variations to try

• Raisin bread with cinnamon: Add 2 teaspoons of cinnamon powder to the dry ingredients. The combination of warm cinnamon and juicy currants is delicious, especially in autumn and winter.

• Raisin-currant bread: Use 75 grams currants and 75 grams raisins instead of only currants. Plump both. This gives a richer, fruitier flavor.

• Raisin bread with almond: Add 40 grams flaked almonds at the beep, together with the currants. After baking, dust the top with powdered sugar for a festive touch.

• Easter raisin bread: Add to the base recipe: 1 teaspoon cardamom, the zest of half a lemon, and 30 grams candied peel. A traditional Easter bread from your own machine.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I use fresh yeast instead of dry?

Yes. Use 17.5 grams fresh yeast (2.5 times the amount of dry yeast). Crumble the fresh yeast over the flour - not into the water.

Can I use plant-based milk?

Yes, but the result is a little less rich. Oat milk or soy milk work best. Almond milk is too watery. If you like, add 10 grams extra butter for richness.

My currants sink to the bottom. How do I prevent that?

This happens when the currants are too wet or when the dough is too slack. Make sure you pat the currants thoroughly dry and flour them before you add them. Also check that your dough is not too wet.

How long does raisin bread stay fresh?

Raisin bread stays soft for 2-3 days at room temperature, stored in a plastic bag or bread box. It also freezes excellently - slice it first so you can thaw one slice at a time.

Can I make this recipe with spelt too?

Yes, but replace at most half of the wheat flour with spelt flour (200 grams wheat + 200 grams spelt). Spelt has weaker gluten, so the bread turns out a bit denser. Reduce the liquid by 20 grams.

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Also read

• Baking wholegrain bread - the perfect recipe - Step by step to wholegrain bread
• Bread collapsing? These are the causes and solutions - Troubleshooting for any bread
• Baking gluten-free bread - here is how

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Have questions about baking raisin bread, or want to share your result? We are happy to help.

Or email support@fornello.eu - we reply within 24 hours.

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Ready to get started? Check out the Fornello Supremo bread maker.