Rosemary-Raisin Bread

Rosemary and raisins is one of those savoury-sweet combinations that sounds odd until you try it. The piney, resinous herb cuts through the sweetness of the dried fruit and elevates both, the way you might find them paired in an Italian focaccia or a Tuscan walnut loaf. This bread machine version makes it easy: one cycle from raw ingredients to finished loaf in about an hour.

Extra-virgin olive oil in the dough is what pulls the bread toward Italian rather than American sandwich loaf. Combined with eggs and milk for an enriched dough, the olive oil contributes a fruity backbone that pairs naturally with the rosemary.

The lecithin (2 tablespoons) is an unusual addition but worth understanding. Lecithin is an emulsifier that helps fat and water blend smoothly, which gives the loaf a softer, more tender crumb and extends its shelf life. If you don’t have it, the bread still works fine; you’ll just have a slightly less tender result.

Pro Tips

• Add the ingredients in the order your bread machine recommends, with the yeast on top and not touching the salt or liquids until mixing starts.
• Wait for the mix-in beep (if your machine has one) to add the raisins. Otherwise, the kneading paddle will pulverise the raisins into the dough rather than leaving them whole.
• Use crumbled dried rosemary, not whole sprigs. Whole sprigs leave woody bits in the crumb that are unpleasant to bite into.
• Slice when fully cool. Hot bread squashes under the knife; cool bread slices cleanly.

Variations

• Swap the raisins for chopped dried apricots, golden raisins, or dried cranberries for different fruit profiles.
• Add a tablespoon of grated lemon zest with the rosemary for a brighter, more aromatic loaf.
• Use the bread as a base for cheese-and-honey crostini, or toast and top with prosciutto and goat cheese for an antipasto.