"Krentebollen" - raisin rolls

A krentebol is a Dutch round roll or bun, with raisins and currants, and candied fruit. You can eat them straight, or sandwich-style with a slice of cheese. When no longer fresh, they are also great sliced and toasted, again with a slice of cheese.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Rising time: 45 minutes
Bake time: 20 minutes
Makes 10 rolls

INGREDIENTS

500 grams (1.1 lbs) "all purpose" flour (not self-rising!)
40 grams (1.5 oz) block of baker's yeast ("compressed block yeast")
in Europe, the bakery/pastry department of decent supermarkets sells them in blocks of 42 grams
in the USA, they are sold in blocks of 2 oz.
300 ml (1 + 1/4 cup) milk, lukewarm
3 rounded tablespoons brown sugar
40 grams (1.5 oz) butter, soft, at room temperature
200 grams raisins (or a mixture of dark raisins ("Thompson" or "Sultana") and currants)
250 grams moist candied fruit mix, diced (F: macédoine de fruits confits, D: 150 grams Orangeat + 100 grams Zitronat)
2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons (10 grams) salt
2 eggs

EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES

Large bowl
Kitchen machine with dough hook
Plastic kitchen film (cling wrap)
Cookie sheet / baking sheet / oven tray
Brush

PREPARATION / DIRECTIONS

Put the milk in a large bowl (e.g., of your kitchen machine), add the sugar, and crumble the yeast into it
Stir until sugar and yeast are fully dissolved
there should be no yeast lumps floating when you stop stirring; also, the yeast tends to stick to the bowl, so make sure to dissolve that as well
Add the flour, a couple of tablespoons at a time, and knead with the dough hook in your kitchen machine
Continue kneading until the dough is elastic and no longer sticks to the bowl (it will get slapped around in the bowl).
Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic kitchen film (cling wrap), put in warm spot (e.g., oven set to 35 °C = 95 °F), and let rise for 15 minutes
Soak the raisins (and currants, if any) in hot water for 10 minutes, then drain well and pat dry
Beat one egg
Add the egg, salt, lemon zest and butter to the dough
Knead the dough until elastic and no longer sticking to the bowl
If the dough is too thin, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of flour
Cover the bowl, put in warm spot, and let rise for 15 minutes
Briefly knead the dough, add the raisins (and currants, if any) and candied fruit, and beat again until the fruit is fully incorporated
Pre-heat the oven to 210 °C (400 °F)
Grease a cookie sheet with some butter and lightly dust with flour
Dust your kitchen counter with some flour and transfer the dough to it
Loosely shape the dough into a roll and lightly dust with flour
Cut the dough roll into 10 pieces, shape each piece into a ball, then transfer to the baking sheet
Put the baking sheet in warm spot, and let rise for 20 minutes
Beat the second egg and brush the top of each dough ball
Place the baking sheet at mid-height in the oven, and bake until dark golden brown (about 20 minutes)