Whole Wheat Apple-Raisin Bread

Five minutes of hands-on time and your bread machine handles the rest. That’s the kind of baking I can get behind on a busy weekday.

This loaf uses applesauce instead of extra sugar or oil, which keeps the crumb soft and slightly sweet without being heavy. Plump raisins and a half teaspoon of cinnamon round things out with a warm, apple-pie-ish fragrance that fills the whole kitchen.

A blend of whole wheat and bread flour gives you fiber and structure in equal measure, so the loaf rises well and slices clean.

Toast a thick slab, hit it with a smear of butter, and tell me that’s not better than anything from the store.

Kitchen Tips

• Use the Whole Wheat Bake mode if your machine has one. It gives the denser whole wheat flour extra time to rise properly.
• The Rapid Bake mode works too if you’re short on time, but expect a slightly denser crumb.
• Make sure the raisins go in with the dry ingredients so they get evenly distributed during kneading. Adding them late means clumps.