Pain aux Raisins

Before starting this Pain aux Raisins recipe, make sure you have organised all the necessary ingredients.

Tip the flour in the stand mixer recipient.

Add the yeast on one side of the bowl.

On the other side, add the salt...

... and castor sugar.

The sugar and salt should not come into direct contact with the yeast, as it would lose its rising properties.

Add the warm milk (30°C) and the butter at room temperature.

Knead the ingredients with the dough hook...

... for about 10 minutes at medium speed.

Important: If you're using a home mixer such as Kitchenaid, stay close to the mixer while kneading dough, in case it moves around on your kitchen worktop. You won't have this problem if you're using a professional mixer.

Stop the mixer and lift the motor unit.

Remove the dough stuck on the hook.

Divide the dough into two balls weighing 900 grams each.

Place the dough balls into two separate bowls...

... then cover the surface of the dough with cling film.

Let prove at 25/30°C for 45 minutes. I did this operation in a warm oven. I recommend using a digital thermometer with probe to monitor the temperature inside the oven.

When the dough has risen, remove the cling film.

Knock the dough back with your hand.

Using your hands, spread each dough ball into a rectangle...

... and transfer onto a baking sheet lined with cling film.

Wrap it in cling film...

... and store in the freezer for 45 minutes.

After 20 minutes, flip the dough rectangle and freeze for a further 25 minutes.

Folding the dough: Take the dough out of the freezer. The dough should now be firm.

Remove the cling film...

... and roll out the dough lengthwise.

Soften the dry butter with the rolling pin.

Give the dough a quarter-turn...

... and arrange the butter in the centre of the strip of dough. The width of the exposed dough parts should equal the width of the butter piece in the centre.

Fold both sides over the butter. Start with the left side (it should cover half of the butter).

Fold the right side over. Both edges should meet in the centre.

Fold the dough rectangle in half, lengthwise.

The first part of the folding operation is now done.

Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Take the dough of the fridge and remove the cling film. Place the dough on a floured surface.

Roll out the dough lengthwise...

... to create a long strip.

Give the dough a quarter-turn (anticlockwise). Fold the dough into thirds, starting with the right side, then the left side.

Wrap the dough rectangle with cling film...

... and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

For the crème pâtissière : Organise all the necessary ingredients.

Soak the currants in warm water.

Pour the milk in a saucepan.

Add the butter and vanilla pod, split in half lengthwise.

Add half of the castor sugar. Bring to a boil.

Place the egg yolks in a bowl. Add the remaining castor sugar.

Blanch the ingredients using a whisk...

... until the preparation is pale and fluffy.

Add the crème pâtissière powder and combine.

When the milk comes to a boil and the butter is completely melted...

... pour on top of the blanched eggs...

... while stirring with a whisk.

Transfer the preparation into the saucepan used to boil the milk...

... and cook for a few minutes on medium heat...

... until thick. Stir constantly to prevent the preparation from sticking to the pan.

Add the dark rum and combine.

Transfer the cream into a deep dish...

... so it cools down quickly.

To prevent the formation of a crust, place cling film in direct contact with the surface of the cream.

Strain the swollen currants. Press them gently with your hand to extract as much water as possible.

When the pastry cream is cold, transfer into a bowl.

Beat with a whisk until smooth.

Add the strained currants...

... and fold gently. Set aside.

Shaping the pain aux raisins: Place the dough on a floured surface.
Roll it out to a large rectangle, to a thickness of 4mm. Ideally, the dimensions of the dough should be 40 x 60cm.

Brush a strip of egg yolk glaze along the width at the bottom of the pastry rectangle (2 cm).

Spread a thin layer of currant pastry cream on top of the laminated dough (except on the glazed strip).

Even the surface.

Roll the dough, starting from the top...

... until you obtain a sausage shape.

Glaze the surface with egg yolk, then score along the roll every 2 cm so you can see where you will be cutting to make the pain aux raisins. Reserve in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Using a very sharp knife, cut the roll following the marks you made earlier, then arrange the pastries on a Silpat mat, placed on a Silichef baking sheet.
Up to this stage, this recipe can be prepared in advance and stored in the freezer for several weeks. Whenever you would like to enjoy fresh pain aux raisins, simply take them out of the freezer and follow the method below, bearing in mind that the proofing time, shown in step 74, will take longer (about 3 hours).

Make sure to leave enough space between each roll.

Leave to prove at a temperature that doesn't exceed 25°C (to prevent the butter from melting), for about 2 hours. The rolls should double in volume.
If you prepared your pain aux raisins in advance, I recommend taking them out of the freezer at night, then transfer them on a baking sheet and leave them to rise at room temperature overnight. Simply glaze and bake your pains aux raisins in the morning to enjoy them hot for breakfast!

Brush the rolls with egg yolk again...

... then bake in a fan-assisted oven at 170°C (gas 3) for 15 or 20 minutes.

When cooked...

... remove from the oven.

While they're hot, brush some sugar syrup on the surface.

Set aside to cool before serving. Enjoy!