therealdesign

Ingredients

• Yeast, dry..... 1 package 
• Water, warm..... 1/4
• Milk, scolded..... 1 cup
• Butter, unsalted..... 1/2 cup
• Sugar, granulated..... 1/2 cup
• Eggs, beaten..... 2 each
• Vanilla..... 2 tsp
• Salt..... 1 tsp
• Flour, all purpose..... 4 – 4.5+ cups

Method

1. Soften yeast in the warm water and mix lightly.
2. Combine hot milk, butter and sugar in large bowl.  Let the butter melt. Cool.
3. Stir into the milk mixture the eggs, vanilla, salt, and the activated yeast.
4. Pour the flour into a pile on a clean workspace.  Make a well and slowly pour the liquid into the center of the well mixing by hand or wooden spoon.  Add more flour as necessary until the dough is soft but comes clean off the well-floured work surface.  Place into a lightly greased large bowl.
5. Cover with a towel and place in a warm spot until double in size (1+ hour).
6. Beat down the risen dough and cover to rise again and double in size (1+ hour).
7. Turn dough onto a well floured table and roll the dough out until it is 1/16th” thick or less.
8. Using the top of your hands gently pull out the dough to make it as thin as possible without ripping the dough. It should almost be translucent.
9. Melt an additional 1-2 sticks of butter and paint the entire dough with the butter.
10. Beat 3 eggs and paint the mixture thoroughly with egg.
11. Sprinkle the dough with plumped raisins.
12. Roll the dough into a long tube shape. Place in a round or rectangular deep pan and let it rise for an additional hour until it doubles in size once more.
13. Carefully paint the top of the dough with beaten eggs
14. Bake the bread in a preheated oven at 350° for 45 minutes or until golden brown.