For the last few months, I’ve been on a cookbook-buying moratorium because I have quite the collection and what with the decluttering and staging of our house and all, I had to make some sacrifices. But after checking out The Harvest Baker by Ken Haedrich at the library a few weeks ago and deciding I would have to basically photocopy the entire book, I decided it was time to treat myself to a copy. Little did I know how important that book would soon become! I’m seriously planning to stress bake my way through the entire thing!! Oh my friends, you are going to love, love, love this Cinnamon Raisin Carrot Loaf taken straight from its pages! It will make your kitchen smell divine!!

Are you familiar with the term harvest baking? If you know anything about the farm-to-table movement, then you’re already halfway there. Simply put, harvest baking is using as much local, seasonal, natural ingredients to produce wholesome, nutritious sweet and savory baked goods. Many of you probably already do it, or try to, at least most of the time. In any case, it’s what The Harvest Baker is all about and what particularly attracted me to the book. That and the 150 brilliant down-to-earth recipes and gorgeous glossy photos! All of the recipes center around one or more fresh ingredients (think fruits, veggies and herbs ) and range from breakfast to dinner to dessert. In the last week, I’ve already made 4 different recipes which have all been standouts, but I thought this Cinnamon Carrot Raisin Loaf would be especially good now because A) it’s mostly made with ingredients I think many of you are likely to have on hand, (no extra shopping trips needed) B) it takes a bit of time and effort (ironically a big plus these days) and C) it’s to die-for delicious and is guaranteed to bring you at least some small measure of joy!

Part of the reason this bread is so sweet and flavorful (there is added sugar but it’s proportionally low) is that you first roast the carrots before adding them to the batter which brings out their natural sweetness.

And there are also plenty of sweet and chewy raisins floating throughout (though if you really hate the little guys, you can definitely cut them and the bread will still be great)

Anyhoo, once the batter is mixer you knead the dough till it’s soft and smooth.

After it rises

You punch it down, roll it out—

Sprinkle with a mixture of cinnamon and brown sugar—

Roll it up

Transfer it to your loaf pan, (let it rise some more), brush with an egg wash so you get that gorgeous shiny golden crust—

And bake!

Every slice is flecked with little orange speckles, sweet raisins and swirls of cinnamon brown sugar goodness! It’s wonderful toasted and buttered and I can only imagine how good french toast made with it would be!!

I wish I could invite you all in for a slice, but, well…you know…times being what they are, you’re going to have to bake up a loaf for yourself! I promise you won’t regret it!

And since lots of baking seems to be on the agenda, at least for the foreseeable future, order yourself a copy of The Harvest Baker and stress-bake along with me! Gotta find a way to cope somehow! Have a healthy and safe weekend!!xoxo

The Harvest Baker’s Cinnamon Raisin Carrot Loaf-Famous Fridays

Makes one 9x5 or 10x5-inch loaf

Prep Time: Several hours (but most of this is hands-free rising time); Bake Time: About 1 hour

Ingredients

• Butter for greasing the pan

• 4 carrots, peeled, trimmed and cut into 3-inch chunks

• 1-2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, plus a little extra for roasting the carrots

• 1 ¼ teaspoons salt, plus a pinch for the carrots

• ¼ cup sugar

• ⅓ cup lukewarm water (105-110ºF)

• 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast

• ⅔ cup lukewarm milk (105-110ºF)

• 1 egg yolk

• 3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

• ¾ cup raisins

• ⅓ cup light brown sugar, packed

• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water for glaze

The Recipe

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Tear off a strip of aluminum foil and stack the carrots on top of it. Drizzle with a little of the oil and a pinch of salt. Seal the package well and place on a baking sheet to catch any drips (don’t skip this—I learned the hard way). Roast for 45 minutes, until carrots are tender. Remove and open the pouch. Allow the carrots to cool.

2. When carrots are cooled, cut them into smaller pieces and measure out about ¾ cup (you will definitely have leftovers). Place the ¾ cup of carrots and ¼ cup sugar in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped but not puréed. Set aside.

3. Pour the lukewarm water into a small bowl and sprinkle on the yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes to dissolve. In a separate large bowl, whisk together milk and egg yolk. Stir in the salt, yeast and carrot mixture. Add in 1 ½ cups of flour and stir well. Stir in the softened butter and raisins. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.

4. Add about ½ cup of the remaining 1 ½ cups flour and use a wooden spoon to stir it in. Then continue to add in flour by the ¼ cupfuls until you have a kneadable dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl (you may or may not use the entire 1 1/2 cups). Turn the dough out onto a floured surface or board and flour your hands. Knead for 8-10 minutes, until the dough is supple and elastic, not sticky. Lightly coat the inside of a ceramic or glass bowl with a teaspoon or so of the oil. Add the dough and turn to coat well with the oil. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place it in a warm spot in the kitchen until it has doubled in bulk, about 1 ½ hours. Don’t bother to wash your board off yet as you’ll be using it later.

5. Gently punch down the dough into a ball and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for about a minute and then shape into a ball. Cover loosely with the plastic wrap and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl—it’s easiest if you just use your fingers to do it. Now butter your loaf pan and set it aside.

6. Lightly flour your board again and roll the dough into a roughly 10x4-inch oblong. Try to make it a little wider on the end furthest from you. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the entire surface with a little water and then spread the cinnamon mixture all across the dough, leaving about a ½ inch border all around. Starting at the narrower end closest to you, roll up the dough into a snug log. Pinch it at the seam to seal it and tuck the ends under. Place in the pan, seam side down. Cover loosely with the plastic wrap and place in a warm spot for about 40 minutes, until it is almost doubled in size. Adjust the oven rack so it is one rung below the middle and preheat oven to 400ºF.

7. When dough is fully doubled (this should take about 15 minutes more) brush the egg glaze gently across the top. Bake for 15 minutes and then lower the heat to 375ºF and bake for an additional 35-45 minutes. The loaf should be a rich golden brown and should sound hollow when you tap it with your finger.

8. Turn the loaf out onto a cooling rack and let it cool completely. Bread will keep well wrapped at room temperature for several days or chill in the fridge. It makes great toast and I can only imagine how heavenly french toast made with it would be!

Enjoy!

Note: Recipe adapted from The Harvest Baker by Ken Haedrich. I stuck pretty close to the recipe—just tinkered with a few of the methods.