From Paulette Vickery's Recipe Collection

Raisin Bread

breads, fruits

1 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoon sugar
2 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 each stick butter
6 tablespoon butter
2 pkg active dry yeast
1 cup luke warm water
6 cup flour
1 1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup melted butter

Place raisins inbowl and cover with 1 cup water or 1 cup wine. Set aside to soak for 1 hour. Heat milk and stir in 3 tbsp sugar, salt and 6 tbsp butter. Dissolve yeast in water and add milk. Stir in 3 cups flour and beat until smooth. Gradually add 3 cups or enough flour to make smooth kneadable dough. Turn dough on to floured bread board and knead 10 -12 minutes. Put dough in buttered bowl, turning once to coat entire surface.Cover, and let sit in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Punch down dough and place on bread board. Knead in 1/2 cup sugar, 1 stick softened butter, and drained and slightly floured, raisins. Form dough in to 2 loaves and place in 2 greased loaf pans. Brush tops with melted butter and set to rise till dough has increased 60% in bulk, in warm place. Bake at 400 degrees, 50 minutes, or until tops of loaves sound hollow when tapped. Cool before slicing.

Yield: 32 servings