Coconut Raisin Bread | Tea Time Snack

I am always looking for tea time snacks.If it involves baking  then I need to plan it beforehand . This planning bit actually puts me off a bit. These days the oven is getting a well needed rest and though my hands itch to use it something else comes up and baking takes the backseat again. Though ofcourse tea time snacks are a must. and usually deepfrying gets the priority during winters. I love fried items and come winter I use it as an excuse for deepfrying. But these days thanks to majority opinion at home fritters and other fried stuff were vetoed out and I was again on a lookout for tea time snacks.

I had bookmarked this recipe long time back and was under the impression that it will take time, but it was quicker than I thought though of course it was quickest to disappear from the table.I had adapted the recipe from GourmetTable. It was designed on the lines of sweet coconut Goan poi bread or a sweeter version of populist bread 'pav'.

Ingredients:

All Purpose Flour: 225gms or 1.5 cups + 

Instant yeast: 1 tsp

Sugar: 1.5-2 tbsp

Salted Butter: 2 tsp at room temperature

Dessicated/Fresh coconut: 1/2 cup 

Cardamom powdere: 1/2 tsp

Raisins: 1/4 cup

Milk: 1 cup lukewarm

Preparation: 

Place the yeast and sugar in a small bowl and pour in  the milk over it. stir it once and leave in a warm spot for 10-15 minutes until frothy.

I would suggest half the quantity of milk to be added to yeast keep the rest aside to add as and when needed. I went as per the recipe and had to add additional 3/4 - 1 cup of flour which reduced the sweetness slightly. 

Mix together butter and powdered cardamom and keep aside.

Place flour in a large mixing bowl. Add the yeast mixture and knead until the dough comes together.Add more milk/flour if needed.

Turn out the dough onto a clean counter and knead in stretching motions pulling with one hand and pushing with the other for around 5 minutes until you get  soft dough.

Incorporate the butter cardamom mix and knead again. Work in all the butter into the ough and knead until you get a soft pliable dough. 

Shape into a ball and place in a bowl and let it sit until doubled in volume ,covered with a plastic wrap for about 20 minutes or more.

Punch the dough to release the air.Flatten  the dough on the counter and sprinkle coconut and raisins. 

Fold over a couple of times and knead the doungh lighlty until the coconut and raisins are well incorporated.

Shape into a ball and place in a lined /floured baking tray. Make shallow incisions on the dough using a sharp knife to allow air to escape. Sprinkle flour over the loaves and leave it to rest uncovered for another 20 minutes or more until doubled.

Bake in a preheated oven at 200F for about 20-30 minutes,unitl brown. Cool completely before slicing.

A bread similar to sandwich loaf. The coconut and raisins add to the flavour and make it definitely gourmet.Its perfect as a tea time treat and the taste increases the next day as per the author. But mine was over the same day itself.