Streusel Bread

Streusel bread is so simple to make, it’s made with butter and comes out of the oven soft and sweet with a golden brown color. You will start by soaking raisins in cold water for at least 4 hours then refrigerate them, fully soaked raisins make the bread moister. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add one egg, cold milk and cold water then lightly whisk to break the egg. Add bread flour, milk powder, sugar and instant yeast then attaches a dough hook and bring the mixture together to form the dough.

Cover the dough in the bowl with plastic wrap and set it in the fridge for about 20 minutes. Bring it out of the fridge and knead it on high speed for about 5 minutes then add softened unsalted butter and knead on low speed for 3 minutes and when the butter is incorporated in the dough, increase the speed to high and knead for another 4 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. You can also make this dough by hand in a large mixing bowl but you will need more time to knead it.

Once the dough is well kneaded, lightly oil a bowl then place the dough in it, cover with a plastic wrap and let the dough proof for about 90 minutes or until it doubles in size. Meanwhile, prepare the streusel filling by placing softened butter in a medium-sized mixing bowl and to that sift icing sugar then stir really well with a spatula until incorporated then add beaten eggs in three additions and mix evenly after each addition.

Once you have mixed well and you have a paste-like consistency, add milk powder, cornstarch and salt then stir well until everything is well mixed in. Cover the bowl and set it aside. Bring the proofed dough to the working area and divide it into 4 equal pieces. Take each dough and round it then place them on a parchment-lined tray and let them rest for 30 minutes.

Bring the dough and roll it into a rectangle (about 18 by 30 cm) the spread about 50grams of the streusel filing on the upper third of the dough then sprinkle with the soaked raisins. Evenly cut the lower part of the dough into thin strips about 0.5cm wide then roll the dough up from top to bottom, the stuffed part should be slightly tighter, repeat the same process with the remaining dough.

You will need two 9 by 5 by 2.75 inches baking pans, place two prepared dough in one pan side by side then cover them with a plastic wrap and let them proof for the second time for 60 minutes. Once proofed, brush the top with milk then bake in the lower middle rack of the oven in 350 degrees Fahrenheit preheated oven for 28 minutes until the top is golden. Once baked, you can’t help but marvel at how beautiful this bread is. Enjoy.