Rum Raisin Cinnamon Buns

Ingredients

Dough:

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons, and ¾ cup all-purpose flour, divided

¼ cup granulated sugar

2¼ tsp (1 envelope) active dry yeast

½ tsp salt

2 ounces unsalted butter (half a stick)

1/3 cup milk

¼ cup water

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

Filling:

1 cup Raisins

1/8 cup Rum

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 T. unsalted butter, softened

Preparation

Measure out 1 cup of raisins in a small bowl. Pour the rum over the raisins, stir, cover and set aside. The rum will soak into the raisins.

In a large bowl measure out the 2 cups of flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Also, in a separate cup measure out the water and add the vanilla to the water. Set that aside as well.

In a small sauce pan add the milk and butter over medium-low heat just until the butter melts. Add the water/vanilla to the milk mixture and let cool to 100-110 degrees F. (If you go to my old recipe, you will noticed I finally upgraded from my dingy meat thermometer!)

Once at the right temperature, pour the liquid into the flour, salt, sugar, yeast and mix. Add the eggs and last 3/4 cup of flour and it will slowly come together.

Butter all around the inside of a large bowl. Plop the dough into the greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap and a dishtowel. Set aside in a warm, shaded place for one hour. The Yeast will be all happy and warm and fed and start working to grow the dough. It should almost double in size, not quite. But look bigger than what you put in there to begin with. If it doesn't, you can give it more time...or the yeast could just be old and didn't activate.

When it's ready, lightly flour your surface and knead your dough 10 times, by folding it into itself.

Then, roll your dough out flat. Mix together the raisin/rum, sugar, butter and cinnamon and spread it evenly over the flat dough.

Starting at the bottom, roll the dough up, so that in the end you just have one long log looking roll.

Cut it into 9-10 pieces and place into a greased/buttered, 9x9 pan.

Cover this with plastic and a dish towel for 45 minutes to let it proof again. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

After the last proof, remove the plastic and towel and bake for 27-30 minutes until dark golden brown and bubbly.

Enjoy!