Raisin Rosemary Bread

2 C. tepid water + more as needed

1 T. honey

just over 1 lb. (3-4 C.) bread flour + more as needed

1 T. salt

scant 2 T. instant yeast

~â…“ c. fresh rosemary leaves

~9 oz. (~1½ c.) raisins

 

Add the ingredients in the order listed from water through yeast to the pan of your bread machine and select dough cycle.  Adjust water and/or flour as needed until your dough is neither sticky nor dry…it should be just “tacky”.  Add raisins and rosemary to pan just once everything is mixed correctly and just as it starts to knead the ingredients together.  Let cycle run (and rise).  Turn dough out onto a floured counter and knead for a few minutes by hand.  Form into either a free-form round or long loaf and place on a baking sheet that has been dusted with flour.  Alternately, oil a loaf pan really well, form dough into a cylinder and place in pan.  Cover lightly with a greased film of plastic or a clean kitchen towel and let rise until doubled in size, ~45 minutes – 1 hour.  Preheat oven to 350° F during last 15 or 20 minutes of rise time.   Score the length of the bread with a sharp knife, stick a sprig of rosemary in (if you wish) and slide into preheated oven.  Depending on how you formed  your loaf, bake for anywhere from 25-50 minutes, until golden and crisp.  It seems to take longer to bake if it is in a loaf pan.  If I had to recommend a shape, I’d go with a free form or banneton-formed loaf (it has a tendency of sticking to the pan if baked in one).  Try as a grilled cheese sandwich, or with a ploughman’s lunch.