Golden Raisin and Walnut Rolls

A raisin-free life is not worth living.

I try. I really do. My son has a belief, handed down from the other side of the family, that raisins are not good eats. Heartbreaking, really.

Raisins are at the core of so many of my favourite foods - granola, cinnamon rolls, rice pudding, and of course oatmeal raisin cookies. I even like them in savoury foods, like curries and tagines. And bread.

Personally I think that this bread with raisins and walnuts goes perfectly with a tuna salad sandwich, or cream cheese. (What doesn't go well with cream cheese?)

The little hits of nutty sweetness makes for a great texture and flavour profile, and the buns toast up beautifully.

So if you are in the mood to get a little nutty and a little sweet (and really, who isn't?) try these golden raisin and walnut rolls!

Golden Raisin and Walnut Rolls
adapted from Bread, Jeffrey Hamelman
for the Mellow Bakers

The night before:

Preferment
Bread flour - 4 oz
Whole wheat flour - 4 oz
Water - 7 oz
Instant yeast - 1/8 tsp

Knead together and let sit in a bowl (covered with plastic wrap) on the counter while you get your beauty sleep.

The next day:


Dough
Bread flour - 1 .b, 5.6 oz
Whole wheat flour - 2.4 oz
Water - 1 lb
Salt - 1 Tbsp
Instant yeast - 1¼ tsp

Preferment from last night - all, in chunks

California walnuts - 5.1 oz
Golden raisins - 5.1 oz

• Place bread flour, whole wheat flour, water, yeast and salt into your stand mixer and mix for a couple of minutes on low (with the dough hook). 
• Add the preferment in chunks. When that is incorporated well, raise speed to medium and mix 3 minutes. Add raisins and walnuts and mix until thoroughly combined. 
• Empty dough out onto lightly floured board and knead by hand for a minute, form into a ball and let rise in a covered bowl for 1 hour. 
• Fold dough in onto itself and let rise another hour. 
• Divide dough into 2, and each half into 8 equal pieces. (16 in total)
• Form into rolls and let sit on parchment or silpat covered half sheet pans, covered with a tea towel, for 1½ hours. 
• Preheat oven to 400°F
• Beat an egg with 1 Tbsp water and give each roll an egg wash. 
• Bake 20 minutes, rotate pan and bake another couple of minutes until golden and cooked through. 
• Repeat with second tray. 
• Let cool on racks.

This bread has been YeastSpotted! This week hosted by Hefe und mehr.