Sunday afternoon and time for tea. It just seems the right thing to do. On a cold Sunday afternoon. With raisin bread. So comforting.

The raisin bread is busy rising. I use a bread maker from start to finish. Che and I have not regretted buying this wonderful machine. The recipe is simple – it’s not my original but the one that comes with the bulk packs of sticks of 7g dry yeast.

Ingredients:

1. 125ml lukewarm water (1/2 cup)
2. 80ml lukewarm milk (1/3/ cup)
3. 1 large egg, beaten
4. 5ml salt (1 ts)
5. 60ml sugar ( 4 tbsp)
6. 60 g butter, cut into pieces
7. 420g cake flour (3 1/2 cups)
8. 7g dry yeast
9. 140g raisins (200ml)
10. Milk to brush
11. Sugar to sprinkle

Method – step 1:

• Place ingredients 1 to 8 – in the order written above – into the bread machine pan (make sure the paddle is in position and secure) – the first time I made bread I forgot to put in the paddle and was quite surprised when the ingredients weren’t mixing.
• Select setting 5 or sweet setting on your machine. Select loaf size (900g/1lb/1.5lb – I chose a 1lb loaf) and colour setting.
• Press start.

Method – step 2:

• When the ingredients have mixed well and the machine beeps to indicate it is going to start the knocking down stage and that new ingredients can be added – open the lid and add the raisins.

Method – step 3 – it’s optional but I like to add it:

• When the time shows 1h15 on the machine open the lid and brush the top with milk and sprinkle with sugar for a golden crust.

And there you have it. Wait for the machine to finish, let it cool only a bit, about 10 minutes or so, turn out the loaf and enjoy. With hot steaming tea.

The recipe recommends to glaze the loaf with a sugar water mix for a shiny finish but I don’t do this, the sugar sprinkles are enough. It’s not meant to win any looks competitions. But it does look good, don’t you think?