Hi All:

I stumbled upon this today Googling something else (need to learn more advanced search phraseology).
========================
"When adding raisins to dough, is there a way to prevent them from losing their moisture?
S.F., Peoria, Ill.

Raisins must be properly conditioned to increase their moisture content before adding them to the dough, thus minimizing the moisture absorption from the bread dough. To avoid sugar loss in the raisins, condition them by covering the raisins with 80F water and draining immediately. No soaking time is required. Allow the raisins to stand for four hours before mixing them into the dough. The last step allows the raisins to absorb any remaining moisture in the outer skin with no significant leaching of sugar solids.


Excerpted from The Workbench Klaus Tenbergen, Modern Baking, August 2002, p. 22."

At: http://food.oregonstate.edu/faq/bake/bake3.html
=================

I have never tried it. I often just dump them in during the starter refreshment cycle. I don't know if it will work with other dried fruit (cherries, apricots, blueberries, etc.) but I assume that it will. I am posting it because as an amateur it was useful to me. It may be just routine for the more seasoned.

Regards,

Ray

WRK wrote:
> Hi All:
>
> I stumbled upon this today Googling something else (need to learn more advanced search phraseology).
> ========================
> "When adding raisins to dough, is there a way to prevent them from losing their moisture?
> S.F., Peoria, Ill.
>
> Raisins must be properly conditioned to increase their moisture content before adding them to the dough, thus minimizing the moisture absorption from the bread dough. To avoid sugar loss in the raisins, condition them by covering the raisins with 80F water and draining immediately. No soaking time is required. Allow the raisins to stand for four hours before mixing them into the dough. The last step allows the raisins to absorb any remaining moisture in the outer skin with no significant leaching of sugar solids.
>
>
> Excerpted from The Workbench Klaus Tenbergen, Modern Baking, August 2002, p. 22."
>
> At: http://food.oregonstate.edu/faq/bake/bake3.html
> =================
>
> I have never tried it. I often just dump them in during the starter refreshment cycle. I don't know if it will work with other dried fruit (cherries, apricots, blueberries, etc.) but I assume that it will. I am posting it because as an amateur it was useful to me. It may be just routine for the more seasoned.
>
> Regards,
>
> Ray

Hi Ray,

Here's a recipe from I Fornaio an Italian bread book that I have. At
the bottom it says soak the raisons in water for just 30 mins but it
doesn't have any other fruit. I would think it's the same for them too.


Jim

PANETTONE

Egg Bread with Raisins and candied fruit.

MAKES ONE' 1/2 POUND LOAF

Baking a panettone is like baking a soufflé. It rises gloriously in
the oven and then deflates as it cools. Our II Fornaio bakers were at a
loss as to what to do about the fallen loaves, so I introduced them to
the foolproof Italian remedy: Italian bakers suspend boards pierced by
a row of round holes from the ceiling. As they take the breads from the
hot oven, they drop them upside down through the holes. The loaves'
slightly broader bases prevent them from slipping all the way through
and the breads retain their full height as they cool.
Making this handsome, fruit-studded Christmas bread - with the dough's
four long resting periods - is an all-day event. Ideally the loaves are
baked in high-sided panettone moulds, but they are difficult to find on
this side of the Atlantic. If you are not planning a trip to Italy
before Christmas, use a two-pound coffee can or a two-quart charlotte
mould or soufflé dish. This loaf tastes best the day after it is
baked, so plan ahead.

To make the starter, in a small bowl stir the yeast into the water. Add
the flour and mix vigorously with a wooden spoon for 5 minutes to form
a smooth batter. Top with an airtight cover and let rest at room
temperature until doubled, 30 minutes to I hour.
Once the starter is ready, begin to make the first dough. In a mixing
bowl combine the butter and sugar and beat together with a sturdy
wooden spoon until light, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and beat until
incorporated. Stir in the risen starter, which will deflate
immediately, and beat until smooth. Gradually stir in the flour and mix
vigorously for 3 to 4 minutes. At this point the dough should be
somewhat stiff and sticky, but nonetheless smooth and elastic. Once
again top with an airtight cover and let rise until doubled, 3 to 5
hours. Transfer the now-risen first dough to a large mixing bowl. It
will deflate as you do. Now begin to make the second dough. In a
smaller bowl combine the butter and sugar. Using a hand-held mixer set
on medium speed beat the mixture until light, about 2 minutes. Add the
whole egg and egg yolks and beat until thoroughly combined. Add the
vanilla, honey, salt, and citrus zests and beat only until evenly
mixed.
Using a wooden spoon beat the egg mixture into the first dough and
continue to beat until smooth. Add the candied citrus rinds and raisins
and beat to distribute evenly, about I minute. Stir in I cup of the
flour.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead the
dough, gradually adding more flour as necessary to achieve a soft, very

smooth, elastic dough. This should take 5 to 7 minutes. Shape the dough
into a ball.
Rub a large bowl with oil and place the dough in the bowl. Turn the
ball so that the surface is coated with oil. Top the bowl with an
airtight cover and let the dough rise at room temperature until
tripled, 3 to 5 hours.
Grease the bread mould (see recipe introduction) with butter and dust
with flour. Cut out a round of parchment paper to fit the mould bottom
precisely and slip it into place. Punch down the dough by loosely
folding the edges into the centre and turning it over so the top is
once again smooth. Do not press all of the air out as you shape it into
a loose ball. Place the ball in the prepared mould. Using a sharp
serrated knife, cut a 1/2-inch-deep X in the top of the loaf, extending
it to the edges. Cover the mould with a damp towel (the towel must be
damp because the dough is very sticky) and let the loaf rise at room
temperature until doubled, 21/2 to 4 hours.
Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F. Cut a second X in the top of the
loaf, retracing the lines of the first X. Bake the loaf in the
preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350
degrees F and bake until a cake tester or a thin bamboo skewer inserted
in the centre comes out dry, about 40 minutes longer. Remove to a wire
rack to cool in the mould for 30 minutes. Then gently slide the loaf
out of the mould and cool it on its side, giving it a quarter turn
every 10 to 15 minutes, until cooled completely. To store, wrap tightly
and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.

For the starter:
2 teaspoons active dry yeast '
1/2 cup warm water
(105 degrees F)
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
For the first dough:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 teaspoons sugar 1 egg The starter 2/3 cup unbleached all-purpose
flour
For the second dough:
4 tablespoons
unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar 1 whole egg 2 eggs yolks I teaspoon vanilla extract 2
teaspoons honey Pinch of salt
Grated zest of 1 orange
Grated zest of I lemon
2 tablespoons chopped candied orange rind
2 tablespoons chopped candied lemon rind
1/2 cup raisins, soaked in
water to cover for 30
minutes and drained
1 to 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Additional flour for work surface and mould
Olive oil for bowl Additional unsalted butter for mould

I like to soak raisins in cream sherry .... my sister (a dessert chef) soaks them in rum or whiskey depending on what kind of cake she's putting them in.
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Delete the obvious to reply to me personally.
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