Raisin Pecan Bread

I've made this bread at least half a dozen times now. I really should branch out to the other fruit/nut breads here, but I just crave this one. Great toasted, or just warmed and topped with soft cheese. It takes a good 6-7 hours to complete in a warm kitchen like mine. The raisin water is an important part of the dough's flavor, so don't forget it (like I did once). And watch closely while this bakes: I've done this in two different ovens and I've found that (1) I've needed to lower the ovens to 375 as soon as the bread is in, rather than wait 5-10 minutes as in the recipe; and (2) the bread is done in about 30 minutes, which is considerably less than the recipe.

This bread adds up to more than the sum of its parts. The raisin-pecan version has a mellow, blended flavor that is delicious, while the cranberry-walnut version has a bright combination of flavors that remain more distinct. It's one of my favorite breads in the book. It has a dense, fine crumb and a soft texture.

I like to split the recipe into two smaller loaves, as it makes one large loaf and we are a small family. One to eat right away, one for the freezer. Great with fresh ricotta or cream cheese.