Cinnamon Raisin bread (Whole Wheat)

[Delmonico]

OK, another recipe, kind of invented this over a couple trips and have pretty much perfected it and as I start this, I have some baking for a food day at work tomorrow. I am accused of often giving a history lesson 3 times longer than the recipe most times, but in this case since as far as I know, I invented it the 17th and 18th of August (I haven’t dug to deep, I’m sure there is nothing new about it.) So with that, there really is no history behind this, or not much although anyone in the time could have thought it up and most likely did.

Cinnamon Currant Whole Wheat Bread:

See there lays another problem; the first version had plain old regular seedless raisins, not quite period, although there were raisins sold with the seeds removed. And it happened, I got into the food history part again, and I wasn't going to So since there was a very small and better flavored seedless raisin called a currant, I just use these in camp most times and I don’t get into the problem on non-period correct raisins, pretty simple, OK?

No, now we have another problem which a friend so kindly pointed out the other day. (John I will get even with you.) Not so much history, but biology, and taxonomy, you know the class you almost failed in High School.

And right then and there is where the trouble began; I explained to the crowd that the currants were just a small naturally seedless raisin made from the Black Corinth Grape from the area around Corinth in Greece. So now my friend mentions when he was a kid, his mother had a few currant bushes and she made currant jelly. Now I considered shooting my friend, but there were too many witnesses and besides that he had set me up well and I was not going to let him get away with it.

See the currant John’s mother and anyone else makes currant jelly out of has nothing to do with grapes and small seedless raisins, but it is a berry that is a very close relative of the gooseberry, in fact other that a few strands of DNA they are the same for the most part, the big difference is what well call currants have no thorns and a gooseberry has thorns, both having origins all over the Northern Hemisphere. Why these type currants are allowed to ripen before being picked and most times gooseberries are picked green is another mystery to solve another day.

Now, having that out of the way, John mentioned that his mother also grew Cape Gooseberries and they didn't have any thorns. Since I really was with out a firearm that trip, I’m really thinking that Sheffield butcher knife of mine might be useful, but murder, no matter how well deserved is not a good option, so now I have to explain those dang Cape Gooseberries.

See Cape Gooseberries are another name for a ground cherry (which is not a cherry at all but a type of husk tomato) and having it origins in southern Africa, hence the Cape part of the name and is a real close relative of the tomatillo used to make green salsa, as well as regular tomatoes , potatoes, tobacco and peppers. (Which of course are no relative of black pepper)

So since that is cleared up, should we try this again?

Cinnamon Currant Wheat Bread

2 ½ cups warm water
4 ½ teaspoons yeast or 2 packages yeast (1 package of yeast is 2 ¼ teaspoon)
¾ cup of brown sugar
1 teaspoons salt (optional)
3 tablespoons lard
3 cups of whole wheat flour
3-4 cups of white flour
½ cup currants or can use seedless raisins

Center Swirl
1-4 tablespoons of cinnamon and ½ to ¾ cup of brown sugar
Dissolve yeast, salt and sugar in the water in a large bowl, add a cup of white flour and stir in well. Allow to get good ad foamy and then add the currants, the lard, the whole wheat flour, work in enough of the remaining white flour to make a stiff dough.
Cover and let rise till double.

When risen punch down and roll out into an approximate rectangle (the thinner you roll it the more swirl you get.) Cover with the cinnamon and the brown sugar and roll up and seal the edges, connect the ends and seal, you now have what looks like a large doughnut, just like the doughnut, this allows you to easily bake it with out a sticky center.

Place in a 14 inch deep oven and bake a medium oven (375-400F) for 25-35 minutes or until browned and hollow sounding when thumped. Spread melted butter on top if desired. (It also works well in a 15 inch cast iron skillet in a regular oven.)

Yes my camera takes lousy indoor pictures.