Italian Raisin Bread

This is the kind of bread machine recipe that makes you wonder why you don’t bake more of these. Bread flour gives the loaf serious chew, rosemary and pine nuts pull the flavor in a savory direction, while golden raisins and a touch of sugar bring the sweetness back into balance. The egg and olive oil enrich the crumb, making it tender enough to slice thin for an antipasti spread or thick for breakfast toast. The only timing trick: hold the raisins back and add them when the machine beeps about 88 minutes in. Adding raisins at the start means they get pulverized during the first knead, releasing too much moisture and turning the bread spotty and dense. Once the loaf is finished, let it cool fully on a rack before slicing. The crumb is still setting up while it’s hot, and patience here pays off in clean, even slices. Goes brilliantly with a slice of prosciutto and a glass of dry white wine.

Pro Tips

• Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan for 3 to 4 minutes before adding to the machine. Their flavor doubles, and they don’t toast fully during the bread bake.
• Use very warm water (around 110°F / 43°C). Too cold and the yeast sleeps; too hot and it dies.
• Don’t lift the lid during the bake cycle. The temperature drop ruins the rise and the loaf collapses.
• Cool fully on a rack before slicing. Hot bread looks done but has a gummy crumb that firms up only when cool.

Variations

• Swap golden raisins for a mix of dried cranberries and currants for a more festive look.
• Skip the raisins and double the rosemary with a teaspoon of cracked black pepper for a fully savory loaf.
• Use sun-dried tomatoes in place of raisins and add a tablespoon of grated Parmesan for an Italian-bistro version.