Mennonite Girls Can Cook is a collection of recipes which were posted daily for a period of ten years from 2008 to 2018. We have over 3,000 delicious recipes that we invite you to try. The recipes can be accessed in our recipe file by category or you can use the search engine.

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Raisin Bread or Raisin Apple Bread (Flashback Friday)


For some time now we have wondered how we could highlight some of the recipes we eagerly published when we began posting. There is something about going back and remembering those first steps of writing recipes out in our own words, plating, taking photos, and how we felt when we realized the unique kinship amongst us, even with some of us never having met in person. We do not ever want to forget those initial moments of delight when we saw there were readers who acknowledged our efforts. This is why it was difficult to know just how to re-publish some of the
recipes that, if nothing else, needed some order, some reformatting to how we currently post recipes.

So this is what we decided to do. Every Friday we will update a favorite recipe using our current, easier to read, format and most likely a new photo. In other words, the recipe will be edited and republished by simply changing the publishing date on the original. This method will not delete the comments along the way, yet we hope this will be a way to keep the recipes looking current and consistent in style.

So, for our first Flashback Friday, we would like to share a recipe first posted on July 23, 2008. It is a
variation of a recipe found in the Mennonite Treasury (page 26) and includes a twist with an apple filling that takes a raisin loaf a step further. 

Ingredients:
  • ½ cup butter
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp cinnamon or rind of 1 lemon
  • 4 – 4 ¼ cups flour, divided
  • 2 Tbsp instant yeast*
  • 2 1/2 – 3 cups raisins (rinsed with hot water) 
* about the yeast - the original recipe calls for 1 pkg yeast, letting it proof in warm water first. If you use water, adjust the milk or flour. 

Method:
  1. Melt butter and add milk to a combined warm temperature.
  2. Beat eggs and sugar, adding salt, cinnamon (or zest) and gradually the liquids.
  3. Stir in 2 cups flour mixed with instant yeast.
  4. Add rinsed raisins and then the rest of the flour, mixing until dough comes together. This works best with the dough hook attachment if you are doing it in a mixer.
  5. Dust with extra flour if necessary to shape. Cover with tea towel and plastic bag and let rise at room temperature for about 1 –1 ½ hours.
  6. Divide into two or three parts. If you are only making raisin bread, simply shape each part into a loaf. This will make two medium or three small loaves.
  7. Cover and let rise until dough comes near the top of the loaf pan, about 45 – 60 minutes.
  8. For a glossy look, beat an egg white with a fork and brush it over the tops, just before baking.
  9. Bake in pre-heated 325 F oven for 30 – 45 minutes depending on size of loaf pan. Remove from pan to cooling rack while hot.


Apple Filled Raisin Loaf

Ingredients: same dough as for raisin bread

Filling for one loaf:
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 ½ - 2 apples peeled and chopped into small tidbits
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
Method:
  1. Cook apples in butter for about 3 - 5 minutes, adding lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon. Let cool.
  2. For one loaf, roll out one third of the raisin bread dough into about a 12x12 inch square.
  3. Spread with apple filling, staying away an inch from edges, and roll up jelly roll style.
  4. Place seam side down on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and pinch ends under.
  5. Cover and let rise for about 30 minutes.
  6. Do an eggwash if desired just before baking. Bake in preheated 325 F oven for about 35 minutes. Allow to cool before dusting with icing sugar, if desired.



40 comments:

  1. oh anneliese, can i come for brkfst too......hmm with a good cup of coffee and friendly conversation, what could be better

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  2. Oh. . .it looks so wonderful. Anneliese you are the queen of pastry. . . This will be made at our house for sure, thanks for testing it out for us.
    I'm testing several things a wee bit differnt today too and IF they turn out. . .I'll post them.

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  3. i would love to post a new recipe, that just means i have to bake or cook something worthy of posting, and (i am whining now a little, smirk}, donwanna do anything these days, kids are gone, there is warm weather, and yup you got it....i am lazy:0}

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  4. oh forgot, keep up the good job ladies.....

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  5. Oh that is calling out my name. Push it right through the monitor would ya!?

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  6. Hi Anneliese, great looking loafs, this is a must for me to try.
    Hope to be having coffee with you and Herb in Sept.
    Keep those recipes coming,I know that it takes a lot of time to bake & take such beautiful pictures of the finished product. Tonight I am going to attempt baking your mom's chocolate cookies for our camping trip this weekend.
    Thanks again
    alvina

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  7. oh my goodness - that looks and sounds delicious!

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  8. Okay that does it! Anneliese...you MUST be a guest 'chef' at my B&B (which of course I sincerely intend on opening someday.) You are simply amazing. Your baking rivals any bakery! I cannot believe that a 'wild guess' like that can turn out so fine...I almost tasted it looking at that photo! My goodness! And somehow, the way I imagine it ....it all seems so effortless. That is one yummy recipe today! Can I come and eat the crumbs?!

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  9. Well, I have my wonderful relatives coming next week from Calgary.
    You know what I'll be up to....
    I was also going to make sticky buns, but could why couldn't I use some of the same dough and make a loaf like this...

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  10. This bread looks wonderful. I have your french bread in the oven as I type. I made 1 focaccia, one regular size french and a mini loaf. My house also smells of my recipe of cinnamon buns. AND...a little something else that I will post down the road. Thanks for all the wonderful recipes you keep posting. Don't stop. We just got back from holidays, so thats my excuse this week. I will be making this apple bread very soon. Kathy

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  11. Hi there! Just wondering...is it really 2 Tablespoons of yeast? In the Mennonite Treasury it is only 1 pkg which equals 2 1/4 teaspoons. I made it with the 2 Tablespoons, and it was really good, but tasted a little yeasty:)

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  12. This apple bread looks absolutely heavenly!I have to try it!
    Beautiful pics!
    Charlotte A.

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  13. I saw this recipe in your cookbook and it looked so great. I am just about to start mixing the dough with the thought to get a jump on some christmas baking but I am wondering if this loaf will freeze okay? I would hate to make 3 loaves and have them come out soggy when all of my family is together for the holidays. Have you ever frozen this bread with the apple filling? Thanks!!
    Kathy

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  14. Kathy... it freezes well. That's the only way to go because you can't eat it all at once. =)
    I thaw it out and then dust it with the confectioner's sugar just before serving.
    All the best!

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  15. Thanks, Anneliese! That's what I was hoping you would say! I already started the dough anticipating that it would freeze okay! If I remember, I will let you know how it goes!
    Kathy

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  16. I have noticed that your yeast recipes always call for lots of yeast. I would think that it would turn out just as good with usually half of the amount. I find that many things I bake on your website grow a lot, sometimes too much.

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  17. anonymous,
    my question is, "is yeast bad for you?" I suppose that in a smaller recipe such as this one you could try 1 Tbsp. of yeast, but I have not tried it bec I have not had reason to. I like that it rises well.
    I do make a loaf of bread that uses 1/4 tsp yeast, but it has to rise for 15 hours...and it is only 1 loaf after all that wait. If you are sensitieve to yeast, you may just want to try using less and rising longer. You could also try a soda bread recipe, that uses no yeast. I was looking for my recipe... and seem to have misplaced it. I'll keep looking.

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  18. Have been wondering how it would work to mix a can of apple pie filling into the dough??? Any idea on this? Love the bread recipes!

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    Replies
    1. I'm assuming you're wondering about using it to spread on the roller out dough, instead of using frsh cooked apples.


      I'm assuming you are thinking about using the pie filling as the spread instead of the fresh cooked apples.
      I've never tried it but I think it should work, although it might be sweeter. I'd like to know how it turns out.



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  19. Looks YUMMY!! This is a wonderful that you are re-posting and re-flecting on your past recipes and gifts that have been given to you!

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  20. Bread looks wonderful and I'm going to try it. Do you use a kitchenaid mixer to knead the dough? If so what model is it? Thinking of buying one as it's to hard to knead the bread. Thanks for your awesome recipes. :)

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    Replies
    1. I use a Braun mixer with a dough hook attachment. I really like it but it does not seem to be available in North America any more. You may still find one in good condition second hand. A larger Kitchen Aid works with smaller recipes such as this one. You can also use the kneading cycle in a bread machine.

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    2. I have used a Kitchen Aid mixer for years, but the key is to purchase it at Costco. My original machine was whatever model was currently being sold in the Costco warehouse (not online). Because I bake and cook so much, I have burnt out the motor of three different machines. Each time, Costco has happily taken my machine back and given me credit to purchase another new one, even when my machine is years old. I just did this again this week. My current one, is fabulous because of the extra deep bowl (great for bread recipes). It is a six quart, one horse power. I am not a Costco employee..... just a thankful customer!

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  21. We love this recipe and want to say that it makes the best french toast!
    Erin

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    Replies
    1. Funny... I'm making French toast with it as I'm reading this.

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  22. Thank you, as I am always making bread but have never made an apple bread like that plus the French toast idea is brilliant! I also appreciate you re-posting those earlier recipes because I wasn't aware of you back then. Have a great weekend.

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  23. Great idea. I often take a look back but usually get caught up in the reading instead of the recipe. I especially appreciate the old recipes. Just this week I went into the cooking-for-a-group site because I am doing that now, once a week. At first I'd forgotten about it, then when saying to myself where can I find...light bulb!! It's on MGCC site. Thank you for this most wonderful site, it's a 'community' experience. I feel part of it. It's been great to see the way it has developed, although I too was not here right at the beginning.

    Sharon

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  24. This is a fantastic idea - I was late at starting to read your blog (I didn't even know what a blog was) so this will be so great to see all that I've been missing. That bread looks amazing and perfect for this time of year - I must try this!

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  25. Thank you for re-posting this recipe as I wasn't on your blog back in 2008. Hubby loves raisin bread and this recipe sounds better than the one I've been using. Also never thought of putting an apple filling in the bread. I'll be making this next week!!

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  26. Have you ever made this recipe gluten free? I would so LOVE to make it gluten free. If you have it - will you send it to me please? Thank you so much!

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  27. When we were Amish country in Pennsylvania a few years back we ate a family-style Amish-cooking restaurant. Every table was automatically served raisin bread just like this but it also had a very fluffy, light white icing on top which I have always wanted to duplicate. Any ideas?
    Clare in Nova Scotia

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    Replies
    1. The only fluffy white icing I think of right away is one made with icing sugar, butter and egg whites.
      It is a paska icing, found under Lovella's paska recipe http://www.mennonitegirlscancook.ca/2009/03/paska-lovellas-recipe.html (you can try half the recipe, using 2 egg whites)

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  28. I baked the apple raisin bread with 1 1/2 tbsp. yeast and it turned out great,
    I baked it in 2 loaf pans
    the tast is great, will make it for sure again

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  29. I really want a copy of the Mennonite Treasury. I grew up baking out of that book and would be so excited to get my hands on a copy. Any ideas?

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    Replies
    1. Hi Colleen,
      Depending on where you live, you may be able to get it at a local Christian Bookstore. Maybe they can order it for you, but if not, I can only suggest ordering online. I noticed that amazon does not have it right now but you can try .http://www.derksenprinters.com/store/cookbook_catalogue.shtml

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  30. I have done it but the yeast smell is terrible pungent. What other alternative should i use instead of putting the yeast ?

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    Replies
    1. Maybe you need to try another brand of yeast and use less, but you cannot do this bread without yeast. Yeast gives the nice rise. Also be sure to not underbake.

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  31. So I am trying this for the first time, though I have made Raisin Bread before. My mom's recipe is fairly old with scalding milk etc so wanted to use this method. One change I made, per my mother's recipe, I added brown sugar instead of white sugar. The dough tastes good, so will see...

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